What do I need to arrange if I want to marry in Egypt?
If you are a Dutch national planning to marry in Egypt, you will need to provide certain documents. And you may need to meet extra requirements.
Can I get married in Egypt?
Ask the organisation that you want to perform the marriage whether the rules in Egypt allow you to marry there as a Dutch national.
There are 2 kinds of marriage in Egypt:
- legal marriages, performed by Ministry of Justice offices (Shahr Aqari)
- Orfi marriages, performed by a lawyer. Orfi marriages are not recognised in the Netherlands.
According to Egyptian law, a Muslim man can marry a woman who is Muslim, Christian or Jewish. A Muslim woman can only marry a man who is Muslim.
Same-sex couples cannot get married in Egypt.
You cannot get married at the Dutch embassy.
If the man is much older than the woman he wants to marry, there may be addictional conditions for the marriage.
Requirements for getting married for Dutch nationals
If you are a Dutch national and you want to marry, you must meet the following requirements:
- You and your partner must be 18 or older. If you are under 18 and you marry abroad, the Dutch authorities will not recognise your marriage until you and your partner are both 18.
- You and your partner must not already be married to or have a registered partnership with someone else.
- If you are under guardianship, you will need the permission of your guardian or of the limited jurisdiction judge (‘kantonrechter’).
- The following family members are not allowed to marry each other or enter into a registered partnership with each other: parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and brothers and sisters.
What documents do I need to marry in Egypt?
To get married in Egypt you will need the following documents:
A certificate of legal capacity to marry shows that you and your partner are legally allowed to marry. To get this certificate, you will need to submit a number of other documents.
Islam, Christianity and Judaism are recognised by law in Egypt.
To get married in Egypt you will need a certificate that states your religion. You can get this document from your mosque, church or synagogue.
If you want to convert to Islam, you can do this at Al-Azhar University. The university will issue a certificate of religion.
To get married in Egypt you will need a medical certificate. You and your partner must go to a government hospital in Egypt to have medical tests carried out. You will then receive the medical certificate.
Legal marriages performed in Egypt are recognised in the Netherlands. You must have your marriage certificate legalised.
Orfi marriages are not recognised in the Netherlands.
To get married in Egypt you will need a valid passport. An ID card will not be accepted.
Are you divorced? Then you will need:
- An original copy of the marriage register of your municipality. This document should not be older than 6 months and has to state when the divorce was registered.
- A certified copy of your divorce statement from the court.
You may need to have these documents translated and legalised.
If you are a widow or widower, you will need official copies of your marriage certificate and of your deceased spouse’s death certificate. You must have the document translated and legalised.
More information about having Dutch documents legalised for use abroad
Is my marriage valid in the Netherlands?
Legal marriages performed in Egypt are recognised in the Netherlands. But you must have your marriage certificate legalised.
Orfi marriages are not recognised in the Netherlands
Do I have to register my marriage in the Netherlands?
You may need to register your marriage in the Netherlands. This depends on where you live.
If you live in the Netherlands, you must register your marriage with your municipality. You will need your marriage certificate to do this. First have your marriage certificate translated and legalised.
More information about having documents from Egypt legalised
If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have your marriage certificate converted into a Dutch certificate by the municipality of The Hague. This is not mandatory, but it can be useful if you ever need an extract in the future.
More information about registering a foreign marriage certificate in the Netherlands
Additional information
- Under Egyptian law, an Islamic man may be married to up to four women at the same time. This is punishable under Dutch law for all Dutch residents, regardless of where the marriage took place.
- Witnesses to the marriage can be: 2 men or 2 women and 1 man. They must all have Egyptian nationality.
- A marriage in Egypt takes place entirely in Arabic. It may therefore be advisable to bring an interpreter.