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documents for marriage in Cairo (uk national)

50K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  SharminAkthar  
Discussion starter
1 post · ed 2013
Hello, I am marrying an egyptian national and I am having terrible trouble trying to confirm which documents I require. I have read up on the UK embassy on Cairo site, the Egyptian Consulate and the UK FCO and I think I have just confused myself.

Can anyone tell me if I need to obtain a certificate of non impediment or will the statutory declaration be enough? I cannot find this confirmation anywhere.

TIA
 
Tia

I am to marry an Egyptian in June 2015 and I am a UK citizen (non Muslim). The following is from the British Embassy. You will need to visit the Embassy first and get a certificate of non impediment.

CIVIL MARRIAGES IN EGYPT
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 that would 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 Egypt have to satisfy the Egyptian authorities that they are free to marry.
They should, therefore:
(1) Book an appointment
(2) Come to the Consular Section of the Embassy in Egypt to make statutory declarations, before a consular officer, that they are free to marry.
The documents required by the consular officer are the following:
 ports as proof of identity
 Documentary evidence of the termination of any former marriage(s). For example, divorce (decree absolute) certificates and change of name deed or, if appropriate the death certificate of a deceased spouse - see also further advice below.
 Consular fees no 2(i) (Sterling £ 45.00=L.E 520) and 4 (Sterling £ 55.00 = L.E 635) are payable in Egyptian Pounds at the current rate of exchange for each declaration.
PLEASE NOTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRODUCED PHOTOCOPIES CANNOT BE ACCEPTED
(3) Statutory declarations have to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the Consular Officer's signature and stamp to be legalised (the fee is approximately 22 Egyptian Pounds per document).
Address: Ahmed Orabi Street, Mohandessin, Giza
Tel: 02 33033460 (opening hours from 9:00-15:00 Sunday to Thursday)
(4) The couple can then go to the Notary Public's Office at Ministry of Justice Annex for a civil marriage.
Address: Lazoghly Square, 4th Floor, Cairo
Tel: 02 27945192-27941659 (opening hours from 9:00-16:00 Sunday to Thursday)
The documents required by the Notary Public Office are the following:
 ports
 5 photographs each (size 4x6cm)
 Evidence of termination of any previous marriage or change of name (as described above)
 2 male witnesses (with proof of identity)
 A ed interpreter (the proceedings will be conducted in Arabic)
 Medical certificates for both parties from a government hospital to the effect that both parties are qualified physically for marriage
 A stamp from the post office called the ‘family rights stamp’
 2 photocopies of all documents provided
MARRYING AN EGYPTIAN/NON-BRITISH MAN OR WOMAN
When a British citizen wishes to marry an Egyptian man or woman.
(1) The British party only needs to make a Statutory Declaration at the Embassy.
The documents required by the Consular Officer are the following:
 ports as proof of identity
 If appropriate, documentary evidence of the termination of any former marriages - decree absolute certificates and change of name deed. If appropriate, the death certificate of a deceased spouse
 The Egyptian party will also need to present his/her current Egyptian ID card and show that they are not in any existing 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.
 Consular fees no 2(i) (Sterling £ 45.00 =L.E 520) and 4 (Sterling £ 55.00= L.E 635) payable in Egyptian Pounds.
PLEASE NOTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRODUCED PHOTOCOPIES CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED
(2) The statutory declaration has to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at for the consular officer's signature and stamp to be legalised (the fee is approximately 22 Egyptian pounds per document).
Address: Ahmed Orabi Street, Mohandessin, Giza
Tel: 02 33033460 (opening hours from 9:00-15:00 Sunday to Thursday)
(3) The couple can then go to the Notary Public's Office at Ministry of Justice Annex for a civil marriage.
Address: Lazoghly Square, 4th Floor, Cairo
Tel: 02 27945192-27941659 (opening hours from 9:00-16:00 Sunday to Thursday)
The documents required by the Egyptian Civil Registry Office are as follows:
 ports (The Egyptian party will also need to present his/her current Egyptian ID card)
 5 photographs each (size 4x6 cm)
 Evidence of termination of any previous marriage or change of name
 2 male witnesses (with proof of identity),
 A ed interpreter (the proceedings will be conducted in Arabic)
 Medical certificates for both parties from a government hospital to the effect that both parties are qualified physically for marriage
 A stamp from the post office called the family rights stamp
 2 photocopies of all documents provided
(The Notary Public's Office is closed Fridays or Saturdays and public holidays). There is no residency requirement but the parties must have valid immigration conditions in their ports.
DIVORCED OR WIDOWED WOMEN
Under the Egyptian law, a divorced or widowed woman - of whatever religion or nationality - must observe a period of waiting (known as the Eddah) before she may marry again. Hence, a Notary Public, before performing a civil marriage, is required to satisfy himself that a period of at least 3 months has elapsed in the case of a divorced woman since the termination of the previous marriage. In the case of a pregnant divorcee, however, the period ends with the birth of the child. A widow wishing to marry again must observe a minimum period of waiting of 4 months and 10 days from her divorce.
NOTE: Notary Public Offices in Egypt may refuse to accept the validity of a divorce between a woman and a Muslim man when the marriage has been terminated by a non-Muslim authority, e.g. a British court. Those affected should seek legal advice.
VALIDITY OF FOREIGN LAW MARRIAGES
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.
CONSULAR FEES
All Consular Fees must be paid in Egyptian pounds or Credit/Debit card.
IN LINE WITH THE EGYPTIAN REGULATIONS, THE STATUTORY DECLARATION IS ONLY VALID FOR ONE MONTH FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.
Consular Section
British Embassy
Ahmed Ragheb Street
Garden City
Cairo
 
Or you could just hire a Lawyer for about £70 and get him to do all this long list of things for you and just go and relax in your hotel pool and check out the pyramids.

Then the Lawyer will call you and ask you to meet him in the Ministry of Justice to do the thumb prints and stamps and that's it. You're married. That's what we did.

The only thing that you MUST do and the Lawyer can't do for you is attend the British Embassy in Cairo. That should be your first appointment in the process.

Everything else you can get a Lawyer to do if you want to get married without the hassle of going round and round to all these offices and waiting in massive queues when it's 40 degrees.
 
Thank you, I found this most helpful and in agreement with every site I have visited. I am coming back to Egypt in the spring to marry my Egyptian groom and can see from this that everything can be done in Cairo rather than going back to Hurghada after getting the Affirmation of Marriage document signed and sealed.
 
Why doesn't your husband to be the hospital or the embassy and ask instead of leaving it all for you to find out,it's much easier for him saying as he i take it is living in Egypt and also speaks the language.

This is a very old post as you will see if you look at the dates,so doubt very much if you will get any answers.
 
I’m considering a green orfi marriage when I go back in March. Can this be followed by the whole Cairo circuit when I go back in September.

Also, does my green orfi entitle me to a visa extension? Any help would be greatly appreciated. It’s a mine field.
 
(Edited)
If you are talking about the the certificate of non-impediment from the British Embassy then you need to take it to Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notary office for it to be stamped,and i don't have a clue where that is but i'm sure your boyfriend will know or be able to find out.

Not 100% sure about this but i'm pretty sure it has to be translated into Arabic.

Just found this which is on a sticky at the top of the page under Marriage...........Statutory declarations have to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Ahmed Orabi Street, Mohandessin, Giza (Tel: 03 33033450), for the consular officer's signature and stamp to be legalised
 
help

Hello,

I am marrying in Egypt also and reading through the thread I'm still unclear on if I need a CNI or not?
My partner is Egyptian - he has documentation to prove he is single
I am from the UK - don't have documentation

I have never been married before nor has he.

We have an Affirmation appointment booked in the embassy in Cairo. Will this affirmation be enough to prove that I am single?

I'm very confused!

Thank you!
 
(Edited)
Hello,

I am marrying in Egypt also and reading through the thread I'm still unclear on if I need a CNI or not?
My partner is Egyptian - he has documentation to prove he is single
I am from the UK - don't have documentation

I have never been married before nor has he.

We have an Affirmation appointment booked in the embassy in Cairo. Will this affirmation be enough to prove that I am single?

I'm very confused!

Thank you!

There is a sticky at the top of the page and under "Living in Egypt" there is a section on a foreigner who is marrying an Egyptian,there you will find all the information on what you need.
Ask your boyfriend to also make a phonecall and double check on what is needed,easy for him as he speaks the language.

https://expatforum.telechargertorrent.org/expats/egypt-expat-forum-expats-living-egypt/
 
For what is worth to anyone who is interested, I am getting married to an Egyptian lady in the next 2 months..ish. The British Embassy describes the process reasonably well. The main frustration that I have with the British Embassy in Cairo is that their system of booking Affirmation, simply shows all slots booked for the rest of the 2021 year (we are in February 2021 now), obviously something is not working very well in there (the usual COV19 excuses that every U.K. company nowadays are using I guess...) I will have to call them to sort things out. So booking the Affirmation with the British Embassy is the number one thing you must do for a British National, not sure about other foreign Embassies. There are of course numerous other procedural steps that you need to do with the Egyptian government side of things, but best advise is to hire a local Lawyer, I am doing this at the moment. The good thing with Egypt is that Egyptian lawyers are quite cheap and way, way cheaper than lawyers in the U.K.

Best of luck to everyone.
 
Lawyers in Egypt might seem to be cheap but they are mostly very corrupt also,and no such thing as a conflict of interest as far as they are concerned as they will quite happily work for both parties,play one off against the other all with the intention of making more money for themselves.Honest lawyers are about as rare as hens teeth in Egypt.
 
No I haven't personally been bitten but know many who have. I posted that comment as a friendly warning to be wary of them,also the ones that are on the Embassy list are only there as they are English speaking and it's not the Embassy recommending them 😉
 
For what is worth to anyone who is interested, I am getting married to an Egyptian lady in the next 2 months..ish. The British Embassy describes the process reasonably well. The main frustration that I have with the British Embassy in Cairo is that their system of booking Affirmation, simply shows all slots booked for the rest of the 2021 year (we are in February 2021 now), obviously something is not working very well in there (the usual COV19 excuses that every U.K. company nowadays are using I guess...) I will have to call them to sort things out. So booking the Affirmation with the British Embassy is the number one thing you must do for a British National, not sure about other foreign Embassies. There are of course numerous other procedural steps that you need to do with the Egyptian government side of things, but best advise is to hire a local Lawyer, I am doing this at the moment. The good thing with Egypt is that Egyptian lawyers are quite cheap and way, way cheaper than lawyers in the U.K. Best of luck to everyone.
Hi Alex, please help me. I am a british citizen who will be marrying an Egyptian woman from Egypt and I need to know if I can marry with a tourist visa or do I need a Marriage visa? Also how do I acquire it because the egyptian embassy in uk do not pick up
 
This has been cut and pasted from the Egyptian Embassy web site,it's quite a few years old but I don't suppose anything will have changed much.


H

Living in Egypt...visa/marriage/property/cars.
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MaidenScotland
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ed Jun 6, 2009
14,334 Posts
Discussion starter · Mar 14, 2012
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copied and pasted from the Egyptian embassy site

Nationals from UK , EU and USA travelling to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts ONLY, for a maximum of 14 DAYS, do not require a visa prior to travelling as a free entry permission stamp will be granted upon arrival. If they intend to travel outside of the above mentioned areas they MUST obtain a Visa.


In addition to UK and EU nationals, citizens of the following countries can obtain visa upon arrival at any of the Egyptian ports of entry:
Australia, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Serbia, Ukraine and USA.

In addition to UK and EU nationals, citizens of the following countries can obtain visa upon arrival at any of the Egyptian ports of entry:
Australia, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Serbia, Ukraine and USA.

Chinese students can obtain single entry touristvisa provided that the following requirements are met:
All the ordinary requirements for applying for a visa to Egypt (check the sections for 'applying for visa in person or by post')
A letter from a recognized UK University addressed to the Egyptian Consulate, stating duration of enrolment.
Return flight ticket
Minimum of 6 months validity on UK student visa.

Malaysian nationals
Malaysian nationals can stay in Egypt for up to two weeks without a visa. If their stay exceeds two weeks, the usual requirements apply.


Single Entry Visas are valid for 6 months and allow a maximum stay of 60 days in Egypt ONLY.
Multiple Entry Visas are valid for 6 months and allow a maximum stay of 90 days in Egypt ONLY.
A multiple entry visa is valid for one individual port, and allows the applicant to travel more than once to Egypt, within the 6 months validity.
Only one visa is required if port holder has children under 16 years old added to his/her port.
Children who have their own ports (including babies) require a visa on their ports.
Business visa applications must be submitted with a letter from the Company stating the purpose of the visit.
No vaccinations are required for tourists travelling from the U.K. to Egypt. Applicants are advised to check with their G.P. for any vaccination recommendations.
EU & USA Nationals are exempted from registration with the local police.
Visitors from Egyptian origin or married to Egyptian nationals can obtain a multiple visa free of charge upon providing official proof such as an Egyptian ID or a Marriage Certificate.
There is a limit of L.E.5,000 and $10,000 or equivalent, on the amount of cash allowed to be carried in or out of Egypt.
Residency visas can only be applied for and obtained in Egypt.
Work permits can only be obtained from the local authorities in Egypt, (For further details please check work permits).
M3mal El Markezi bi Wazart El Saha which is behind the old AUC building in Midan Tahrir 02-27947371 for your working visa HIV test.
Pets accompanied by engers travelling to Egypt require a health certificate legalized by the Veterinary authorities in the United Kingdom indicating all required vaccinations have been istered to the pet, especially Rabies. The istered date of vaccinations should not exceed one year and should not be less than one month.
All inquiries related to the issuance of Visas should be emailed to:
[email protected]

Holiday Villa Monforte del Cid Alicante Costa Blanca.
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ed Jun 6, 2009
14,334 Posts
Discussion starter · Mar 14, 2012 (Edited)
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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:
(1) Come to the Consular Section of the Embassy in Cairo to make statutory declarations, before a consular officer, that they are free to marry.

The documents required by the consular officer are the following:
• ports as proof of identity
• Documentary evidence of the termination of any former marriage(s). For example, divorce (decree absolute) certificates and change of name Deed or, if appropriate the death certificate of a deceased spouse see also further advice below.
• Consular fees no 2(i) (Sterling £ 45.00) and 4 (Sterling £ 55.00) are payable in Egyptian Pounds at the current rate of exchange for each declaration.

PLEASE NOTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRODUCED PHOTOCOPIES CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED

(2) Statutory declarations have to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Ahmed Orabi Street, Mohandessin, Giza (Tel: 03 33033450), for the consular officer's signature and stamp to be legalised (the fee is approximately 22 Egyptian pounds per document).

(3) The couple can then go to the Notary Public's Office at Ministry of Justice Annex, Lazoghly Square, 4th Floor, Cairo, for a civil marriage.

The documents required by the Notary Public Office are the following:
• ports
• 5 photographs each (size 4x6)
• Evidence of termination of any previous marriage or change of name (as described above)
• 2 male witnesses (with proof of identity)
• A ed interpreter (the proceedings will be conducted in Arabic)
• Medical certificates for both parties from a government hospital to the effect that both parties are qualified physically for marriage
• A stamp from the post office called the family rights stamp
• 2 photocopies of all documents provided

MARRYING AN EGYPTIAN/NON BRITISH MAN OR WOMAN

When a British citizen wishes to marry an Egyptian man or woman.

(1) The British party only needs to make a statutory declaration at the Embassy.

The documents required by the Consular Officer are the following:
• ports as proof of identity
• If appropriate, documentary evidence of the termination of any former marriages - decree absolute certificates and change of name deed. If appropriate, the death certificate of a deceased spouse
• The Egyptian party will also need to present his/her current Egyptian ID card and
• show that they are not in any existing 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.
• Consular fees no 2(i) (Sterling £ 45.00) and 4 (Sterling £ 55.00) payable in Egyptian Pounds.

PLEASE NOTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRODUCED PHOTOCOPIES CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED

(2) The statutory declaration has to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Ahmed Orabi Street, Mohandessin, Giza (Tel: 03 33033450), for the consular officer's signature and stamp to be legalised (the fee is approximately 22 Egyptian pounds per document).

(3) The couple can then go to the Notary Public's Office at Ministry of Justice Annex, Lazoghly Square, 4th Floor, Cairo, for a civil marriage.

The documents required by the Egyptian civil registry office are as follows:
• ports (The Egyptian party will also need to present his/her current Egyptian ID card)
• 5 photographs each (size 4x6)
• Evidence of termination of any previous marriage or change of name
• 2 male witnesses (with proof of identity),
• A ed interpreter (the proceedings will be conducted in Arabic)
• Medical certificates for both parties from a government hospital to the effect that both parties are qualified physically for marriage
• A stamp from the post office called the family rights stamp
• 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 ports.

DIVORCED OR WIDOWED WOMEN

Under the Egyptian law, a divorced or widowed woman of whatever religion or nationality must observe a period of waiting (known as the Eddah) before she may marry again. Hence, a Notary Public, before performing a civil marriage, is required to satisfy himself that a period of at least 3 months has elapsed in the case of a divorced woman since the termination of the previous marriage. In the case of a pregnant divorcee, however, the period is terminated by the birth of the child. A widow wishing to marry again must observe a minimum period of waiting of 4 months and 10 days.

NOTE: Notary Public Offices in Egypt may refuse to accept the validity of a divorce between a woman and a Muslim man when the marriage has been terminated by a non Muslim authority, e.g. a British court. Those affected should seek legal advice.

VALIDITY OF FOREIGN LAW MARRIAGES

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.

DEPOSIT OF FOREIGN LAW MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES

Once the Egyptian marriage has taken place, the original 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 15 (Sterling £ 35), 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.

CONSULAR FEES

All Consular Fees are collected in Egyptian currency at the prevailing Consular Rate of Exchange.

IN LINE WITH THE EGYPTIAN REGULATIONS, THE STATUTORY DECLARATION IS ONLY VALID FOR ONE MONTH FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.

Applications to be handed during our opening hours Sunday-Thursday from 10:00 to 13:00 hrs
Collections will be scheduled on Wednesdays between 10:00 to 12:00 hrs
 
Hi guys, sorry to bring this up again
For those that managed to get an appointment at the British Embassy in Cairo for the certificate of no impediment, how did you manage to book an appointment?
Im concerned because a post on here from 2021 says that the slots were all booked on the website and that’s exactly how it is now.
ive tried calling and after no luck was told to keep checking the website.

Any help is appreciated I’m going over to Egypt to marry in April

Thank you!
 
(Edited by )
Hi guys, sorry to bring this up again
For those that managed to get an appointment at the British Embassy in Cairo for the certificate of no impediment, how did you manage to book an appointment?
Im concerned because a post on here from 2021 says that the slots were all booked on the website and that’s exactly how it is now.
ive tried calling and after no luck was told to keep checking the website.

Any help is appreciated I’m going over to Egypt to marry in April

Thank you!
Hi how did it go? I am going to marry in November and i am struggling please can you advise me on what you did etc i would really appreciate it
Hope to hear from you soon. Kind regards
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