Expert: Jane Akshar - 9/28/2009

Question
hi myself and my boyfriend are going to get married in Egypt i am British and hes Egyptian what do we need to do ? and do i need to tell the British embassy that i am going there to get married

Answer
Yes you do need to tell the Embassy, in fact without their involvement the marriage will not be valid. Full details are on the Embassy website. http://ukinegypt.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-egypt/how-re...

How to Register a Marriage



THE FOLLOWING NOTES ARE NOT COMPREHENSIVE AND ARE INTENDED ONLY AS A GUIDE. FURTHER ADVICE SHOULD BE SOUGHT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE NOTARY PUBLIC OR A LAWYER.

The onus of ensuring that you are free to contract a marriage rests with the parties themselves. Consular Officers cannot issue any document, which will facilitate a marriage, which will not be valid in Britain. Additional Documentation may be requested in order to satisfy the Consular Officer to issue a Statutory Declaration.

BRITISH COUPLES

British couples wishing to marry in Cairo have to satisfy the Egyptian authorities that they are free to marry. They should, therefore, first come to the Consular Section of the Embassy in Cairo to make statutory declarations, before a consular officer, that they are free to marry. Passports need to be shown as proof of identity together with documentary evidence of the termination of any former marriage(s). For example, they should bring divorce (decree absolute) certificates and change of name Deed or, if appropriate the death certificate of a deceased spouse   see also further advice below. PLEASE NOTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRODUCED: PHOTOCOPIES CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED. Consular fees no 3 (Sterling £ 36) and 5 (Sterling £ 53) are payable in Egyptian Pounds at the current rate of exchange for each declaration.

Applications to be handed during our opening hours Sunday-Thursday from 09:00 to 13:00hrs
Appointments for collection will be scheduled on Wednesdays between 09:00hrs to 12:00 hrs

IN LINE WITH EGYPTIAN REGULATION
PLEASE NOTE THAT A STATUTORY DECLARATION IS ONLY VALID FOR ONE MONTH FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.

Statutory declarations next have to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Ahmed Orabi street, Mohandessin, Giza (Tel:02 33033450), for the consular officer's signature and stamp to be legalised (the fee is approximately 22 Egyptian pounds per document). Once this has been done, the couple can go to the Notary Public's Office at Ministry of Justice Annex, Lazoghly Square, 4th Floor, Cairo, for a civil marriage. They will need to take with them their passports, 5 photographs each (size 4x6), and evidence of termination of any previous marriage or change of name (as described in the preceding paragraph), 2 male witnesses (with proof of identity) and an interpreter (the proceedings will be conducted in Arabic). Please note that the Notary Public's Office will require 2 photocopies of all documents provided.

The above proceedings may normally be completed within 2 or 3 working days (i.e. not Fridays or Saturdays or public holidays). There is no residency requirement but the parties must have valid immigration conditions in their passports.

MARRYING AN EGYPTIAN/NON BRITISH MAN OR WOMAN

When a British citizen wishes to marry an Egyptian man or woman, only the British party needs to make a statutory declaration at the Embassy. The other party needs to show that they are not in any excising marriage: i.e. are single, widowed or divorced. In Egypt there are varying degrees or types of divorce. The only one acceptable to a consular officer is an irrevocable divorce. Where either party has been married more than once they must show termination of each marriage. Otherwise, the procedures are the same. Both parties are required to present their passports. The Egyptian party will also need to present his/her current Egyptian ID card.