I'm a British Christian and have been legally married to an Egyptian muslim man for about 9 months (Egyptian law wedding at the Ministry of Cairo). I live in Britain and he lives in Egypt. He hasn't got a visa to come here. There are no children involved.
I have decided to the end the marriage (and told him so). But in practical terms, what does this involve? Do I just sit tight and do nothing about it? Does it mean that if I ever go back to Egypt he can get me collected at any Egyptian airport by the police if he wanted (assuming he didn't want to give me a divorce in the first place)? More importantly, am I free to marry another man, as I never registered the marriage at the British Embassy in Britain?
I'd appreciate any sound advice from people who actually know about the legal side of this.
Many thanks.
[This message has been edited by Lhasa (edited 29 March 2004).]
posted
I would contact one of the lawyers recommneded by the British Embassy in Cairo to check your situation.
My understanding it is involvement of the embassy inproviding the statury declarations before the marriage is crucial but regsitering the marriage afterwards is optional. I think you will find you are married but defiantely check this with a lawyer.
------------------ Jane Akshar UK Co-owner of www.flatsinluxor.co.uk Appartments and Tours in Luxor
Well I know I'm pretty much stitched up in Egypt as I had a civil marriage, but I was more concerned about whether I will be able to marry a man in England (or anywhere other than Egypt in fact)? I'm preparing for the possibility that my husband won't grant me a divorce. As I understood it from a couple of sources, because it was an Egyptian/Islamic law marriage it has no validity/basis in English Christian law and therefore I can do as I please. Surely I don't have to go back to Cairo to sort this out? (I don't want to, as much as I love Cairo.)
I just wondered if anyone else has been through a similar experience who could give me some guidance before I go to the British Embassy in London to check the facts.
[This message has been edited by Lhasa (edited 29 March 2004).]
[This message has been edited by Lhasa (edited 29 March 2004).]
posted
Well ... I hope Akshar helps you with that. About him collecting you from airport by police force ... I beleive it is possible ... but it is more possible that he prevents you from traveling back to Britain ...
posted
HELLO EVERY BODAY; NO HE CANNOT COLLECT YOU FROM THE AIRPORT,BECAUSE THE EGYPTIAN LAW DOES NOT ALLOW HIM TO DO THAT,,,EVEN HE CANNOT DO THAT IN CASE IF HIS WIFE IS EGYPTIAN FEMALE,, AND THE EGYPTIAN LAW GIVES THE WIFES RIGHTS TO GET DIVORCE EVEN WITH OUT ANY REASONS,SHE CAN GO TO THE COURT AND ASK FOR GETTING DIVORCE BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT HIM ANY MORE!SHE GET DIVOREC AFTER THREE MONTHS,,AND THE LAW ALLOW HE TO KEEP THEIR FLAT[EVEN IF HE BOUGHT THE FLAT]TO RAISE THE KIDS,, SO MY DEAR DONOT FEEL WORRY OF COMING TO EGYPT ANY TIME AND FEEL SAFE,, WISH YOU THE BEST,,MOHAMED
Posts: 17 | From: aswan/egypt | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Lhasa: am I free to marry another man, as I never registered the marriage at the British Embassy in Britain?
A very nihilistic statement but seems to be the trend these days among some women. Go for a Khlo3.
If he has the right intentions to bitch with you, HE (and not you) can simply translate the marriage certificate and certify it in British Embassy- and then you are Great Britishly married.
Raymon.. Police cannot get involved in such a matter.. and even if her hubby goes to court for NESHOOSE/NASHAAZ (takes years to settle that)she can freely come and go to Egypt.
If he has the right intentions to bitch with you, HE (and not you) can simply translate the marriage certificate and certify it in British Embassy- and then you are Great Britishly married.
hi jaguar i married in egypt and we had our certificate translated and everything has about a hundred stamps on it, but we never registered at the british embassy cos every stamp and every step cost money and this was optional and we were running out of cash! i thought i was still married legally as far as the uk was concerned, just that it would be more hassle for me to access the records cos i would have to go via cairo. so should i return to cairo and register the certificate? i need my marriage to be recognised even if my husband cant be with me yet. love curly x
Once the Egyptian marriage has taken place, the Arabic marriage certificate and an English translation (with no corrections) may be deposited with the Embassy by the British party or parties and, on payment of Consular Fee No 27 (Sterling £ 20), the documents are forwarded to the Registrar General in the United Kingdom so that certified copies can subsequently be obtained in the United Kingdom. It should be clearly understood that there is no legal obligation to have a marriage recorded in the United Kingdom in this manner. The parties may take advantage of these facilities if they consider that it would serve some useful purpose to have their marriage recorded in the United Kingdom, but neither the formal nor the essential validity in English law of a marriage contracted in a foreign country is in any way affected by its having been, or not having been, thus recorded.
So whether you got your Egyptian marriage registered at the embassy or not makes no difference to your legal status.
Also from the same site
The validity under English law of foreign law marriages is not a matter on which the Embassy can give authoritative advice: it is a matter for British courts to decide. Should you wish further advice on this point, or any other point of law, a solicitor should be consulted.
That is why I gave my first piece of advice consult a laywer.
posted
What ever happened with this situation? If you're still online, I'd like to know more. I may be facing a similar situation.
Posts: 19 | From: Chicago, IL USA | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic