Is Orfi Marriage Legal In Egypt?

Orfi marriages in Egypt are not illegal under Islamic rules, but they are not recognized in Egypt. They are privately agreed upon without legal or religious officiation and are conducted by a Muslim cleric. The only legal marriage between a foreigner and an Egyptian national is one that takes place in the Ministry of Justice. The wife and husband have the right to write any conditions in the marriage contract, but the only legal marriage is one that takes place in the Ministry of Justice. Undocumented Urfi marriages are increasingly popular among Egyptian youth due to the high cost of marriage and the high cost of polyandry. In Egypt, polyandry is prohibited and punished in accordance with the law, and there is no need to petition for divorce.

Marriage to a citizen of Egypt begins with a Prenuptial Agreement or Marriage Contract, which is a Civil Marriage or Common law Marriage known as Orfi Marriage. This legal binding contract requires only Id and two witnesses and is not recognized by the Egyptian government. In Egypt, there are two types of marriages: ORFI (Orfi Marriage) and official marriage. ORFI contracts are not registered by the government and are not worth the paper they are printed on, even when drawn up by an attorney.

Orfi marriages are customary and do not provide legal protection for the wife. They are not recognized in the Netherlands, and only civil marriages can be registered. In Egypt, a Muslim man can marry a woman who is Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. The only legal marriage for foreigners in Egypt is a civil ceremony performed at the local marriage court, which is in accordance with Islamic practice.

Orfi marriages are not recognized in other countries, but they are not a simple paper and are legally valid in Egypt. The official and unofficial marriage contracts in Egypt are often based on the same legal age and have no legal weight.


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Is urfi marriage legal in Egypt?

Many young Egyptians are getting married without being legally married. Many young couples wait years to marry because it costs too much. In conservative Egyptian society, sex before marriage is forbidden, so many young people consider Urfi marriage a solution. Urfi marriages are conducted by a Muslim cleric in the presence of two witnesses. But they aren’t officially registered or legally binding on the man. Couples married this way often meet in secret and avoid renting an apartment. The Urfi marriage can be bad for the wife legally. If the husband leaves her without divorcing her, she can’t get divorced because Urfi marriage is illegal. Her husband could marry again. The wife is in a worse position. If the wife remarries, she could be accused of polyandry, which is punishable by seven years in prison in Egypt. The new Egyptian law (passed in 2000) recognizes the woman’s right to seek divorce from an Urfi marriage. However, the law does not provide her with alimony or child support. There are also unofficial Urfi marriages where couples sign documents declaring themselves married. The couple doesn’t tell their families they’re married. Many Egyptian clerics are against Urfi marriages, saying they are a cover for pre-marital sex.

Is orfi marriage legal in egypt for foreigners
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What are the two types of marriage in Egypt?

There are two kinds of marriage in Egypt: legal marriages performed by the Ministry of Justice (Shahr Aqari) and Orfi marriages performed by a lawyer. Orfi marriages aren’t recognized in the Netherlands. If you are Dutch and getting married in Egypt, you need certain documents. You may need to meet extra requirements. Can I get married in Egypt? Ask the organization if you can marry there as a Dutch national.

Legal marriages, performed by the Ministry of Justice (Shahr Aqari); Orfi marriages, performed by a lawyer. Orfi marriages aren’t recognized in the Netherlands.

Who pays for a wedding in Egypt?

In Egyptian culture, the groom and his family usually pay for the wedding. This includes the wedding ceremony, reception, and celebrations. The groom provides the bride with a gift, called the mahr, and pays for the wedding venue, catering, entertainment, and other wedding-related costs. However, modern Egyptian weddings can vary. Some families may be more flexible about covering wedding expenses. Sometimes the bride’s family helps pay for her clothes or parts of the wedding.

Orfi contract download
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What are the requirements for Orfi marriage in Egypt?

Orfi marriage is when a man and a woman agree to marry without any legal rights. The man and woman agree to marry in front of two witnesses.

Marriage. In Egypt, marriage is a contract between two people of marriageable age. It is a contract between a man and a woman. A marriage contract must have the consent of both parties, be announced, signed by two witnesses, and registered.

The marriage contract is a civil contract, so the parties can add conditions they think are necessary for their relationship. Some things must be agreed on for the contract to be valid. These include the dowry (the ‘Mahr’) and any others. Others are optional. This lets women protect their rights. These may include the wife’s right to divorce. This is automatically granted to the husband if not agreed otherwise. This lets the wife divorce her husband if he marries another woman. Other rights can be agreed on, like the right to work and the right to humane treatment.

Is child marriage illegal in Egypt?

  • Under the Persons and Family Law No. 126 of 2008, the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 years for both men and women. The minimum legal age of marriage is also highlighted under the Egyptian Child Law No. 126 of 2008. This 2008 amendment changed the legal marriage age from 14 to 18 years. Despite the legal change, and lack of criminal penalties, families are able to bypass the law and conclude child marriages through religious ceremonies and then wait till the bride turns 18 to have the marriage legally registered. *However, underage girls are frequently married in urfi, an unofficial customary form of marriage. *Data sources. African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, website, 2018, achpr.org/legalinstruments/detail?id=46 (accessed January 2020).
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  • Association of the Egyptian Female Lawyers, Press Release Launching the Campaign “#1000 جمعية” (#1000 associations#) to call the President and the Egyptian Parliamentarians to Criminalize Early Marriage, 2021, aeflwomen.com/en/launching-the-campaign-1000-%d8%ac%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%8a%d8%a9-1000-associations-to-call-the-president-and-the-egyptian-parliamentarians-to-criminalize-early-marriage (accessed November 2021).
  • Bassem, R., Emara, R., El Domy, S., El Hagry, Y, Curbing Child Marriage in Egypt, 2018, fount.aucegypt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=studenttxt (accessed October 2021).
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  • Egypt Independent, Head of Egypts NCWR calls on Parliament to ratifies 21 as legal age of girls marriage,website, 2017, egyptindependent.com/head-egypts-ncwr-calls-parliament-ratifies-21-legal-age-girls-marriage/ (accessed March 2020).
  • Human Rights Watch, Egypt: New penalties for Female Genital Mutilation, 2016, hrw.org/news/2016/09/09/egypt-new-penalties-female-genital-mutilation (accessed November 2021).
  • Girls Not Brides, Child marriage in humanitarian settings, 2018, girlsnotbrides.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Child-marriage-in-humanitarian-settings (accessed January 2020).
  • International Centre for Research on Women, More Power to Her – How empowering girls can end child marriage, 2014, icrw.org/publications/more-power-to-her-how-empowering-girls-can-end-child-marriage/ (accessed March 2020).
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Joint statement on child, early and forced marriage, HRC 27, Agenda Item 3, website, 2014, fngeneve.um.dk/en/aboutus/statements/newsdisplaypage/?newsid=6371ad93-8fb0-4c35-b186-820fa996d379 (accessed March 2020).
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  • National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, Ending Violence Against Children in Egypt National Strategic Framework, 2018, http://nccm.gov.eg/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/إستراتيجية-مناهضة-العنف.pdf (accessed March 2020).
  • The Caravan, Egypt Takes Steps to Eradicate Child Marriage, website, 2017, auccaravan.com/?p=6636 (accessed March 2020).
  • The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, Second Shadow Report for the CEDAW Coalition, Egypt, 2009, wluml.org/sites/wluml.org/files/Shadow%20Report%20CEDAW%20EACPE.pdf (accessed March 2020).
  • The Guardian, Senior Islamic cleric issues fatwa against child marriage, website, 2019, theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jun/21/senior-islamic-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-child-marriage (accessed March 2020).
  • The National Council for Childhood & Motherhood Child Rights Observatory, Policy for Action: Ending Child Marriage, 2018, unicef.org/egypt/media/3586/file/Policy%20Brief%20Final%20(Child%20Marriage).pdf (accessed March 2020).
  • UN CEDAW, Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 2010, p.7, tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CEDAW/C/EGY/CO/7&Lang=En (accessed March 2020).
  • UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention, 2011, p.18, tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRC/C/EGY/CO/3-4&Lang=En (accessed March 2020).
  • UN General Assembly, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Egypt, 2014, p.22, ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/EGIndex.aspx (accessed March 2020).; UN General Assembly, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Egypt, 2019, p. 23-25, ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/EGIndex.aspx (accessed March 2020).; UN Women, Multi-Country Analytical Study of Legislation, Policies, Interventions and Cultural Practices on Child Marriage in Africa, 2018, www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20africa/attachments/publications/2019/multicountry%20analytical%20study%20of%20policies%20interventions%20%20cultural%20practices%20on%20child%20marriage%20in%20afr.pdf?la=en&vs=2727 (accessed November 2021).; UN Women, Women´s needs and gender equality in Egypt´s COVID-19 response, 2020, www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20egypt/attachments/publications/2020/04/unwomen_brief_covid-19_egypt_response.pdf?la=en&vs=5554 (accessed November 2021).; UNICEF, Egypt MENA Gender Equality profile, Status of Girls and Women in the Middle East and North Africa, 2011, unicef.org/gender/files/Egypt-Gender-Eqaulity-Profile-2011.pdf (accessed March 2020).; UNICEF Egypt, In a journey of girl empowerment, website, 2020, unicef.org/egypt/stories/journey-girl-empowerment (accessed April 2020).; UNICEF global databases 2020, based on Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), and other national surveys. Population data from United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects 2019, Online Edition. Rev. 1.; UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office and International Centre for Research on Women, Child Marriage in the Middle East and North Africa, United Nations Childrens Fund, 2017, unicef.org/mena/media/1786/file/MENA-ChildMarriageInMENA-Report.pdf.pdf (accessed March 2020).; UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, Egypt Country Brief UNICEF Regional Study on Child Marriage in the Middle East and North Africa, 2017, unicef.org/mena/media/1796/file/MENA-CMReport-EgyptBrief.pdf.pdf (accessed October 2021).; UNICEF, Policy for Action: Ending Child Marriage, 2018, unicef.org/egypt/sites/unicef.org.egypt/files/2018-06/Child%20Marriage%20Policy%20Brief%20EN%20FINAL.PDF (accessed October 2021).; UNICEF and The American University in Cairo, Policy Brief Curbing Child Marriage in Egypt, 2018, documents.aucegypt.edu/Docs/GAPP/Public%20Policy%20Hub%20Webpage/8-%20Curbing%20Child%20Marriage%20in%20Egypt%20Policy%20Brief%20-%20En.pdf (accessed October 2021).; UNICEF, The State of the Worlds Children 2021, 2021, unicef.org/media/108161/file/SOWC-2021-full-report-English.pdf (accessed October 2021).; United Nations, Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, website, 2017, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg5 (accessed March 2020).; United States State Department, Trafficking in Persons Report, 2015, 2009-2017.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2015//index.htm (accessed March 2020).; World Bank and International Centre for Research on Women, Economic Impacts of Child Marriage: Global Synthesis Report, 2017, documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/530891498511398503/pdf/116829-WP-P151842-PUBLIC-EICM-Global-Conference-Edition-June-27.pdf (accessed March 2020).
Is urfi marriage halal
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What is a legal marriage in Egypt?

Foreigners can only get married in Egypt in a civil ceremony at the local marriage court. This is in line with Islamic practice. If you want a religious ceremony, you can arrange that separately, but the civil ceremony is the legal marriage. To marry in Egypt, Americans must:

Step 1: Make an appointment with the American Citizen Services Unit at the U.S. Embassy. Address: 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo.

Divorce in egypt for foreigners
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Can an Egyptian marry a foreigner?

You need to make an appointment with a notary. We can’t accommodate all the demand for notary services. Don’t make travel plans or spend money until you’ve booked your notary appointment. At American Citizen Services, you’ll sign a marriage affidavit that will be notarized by the U.S. Embassy. This affidavit includes your name and religion. Egyptian law allows interfaith marriages, except for Muslim women and non-Muslim men. The affidavit says you can marry and that the Embassy approves. Please bring:

Your valid American passport; the fee is $50.00 (cash or credit). If you are a minor U.S. citizen less than 18 years old, your state law in regards to the permitted age of marriage is applicable.

NOTE: If two American citizens are getting married, they each need a separate statement.

Step 2: After getting the statement notarized at the U.S. Embassy, go to one of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices to get it authenticated. Addresses: 96 Ahmed Oraby St., Mohandessin, Giza; Sabak Street, Heliopolis, Cairo; Awkaf Building, San Stephano, Alexandria.

Getting married in egypt uk
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Can siblings marry in Egypt?

History: While cousin marriage is legal in most countries, and avunculate marriage is legal in several, sexual relations between siblings are considered incestuous. This is unclear in almost all countries, regardless of legality. Most countries worldwide prohibit sibling marriage, with the exception of Sweden, where half-siblings can marry. Sibling marriage was practiced in ancient Egypt and Inca tribes. Siblings don’t want to have sex because they’re close when they’re young. This is called the Westermarck effect. Children who grow up together don’t usually have sexual feelings for each other, even if they’re not related. Siblings who were separated at a young age might have sexual feelings for each other. Many cases of sibling incest involve siblings who were separated at birth or at a young age.

List of siblings who are married to each other. Religion and mythology. Nüwa and Fuxi in Chinese mythology; Mashya and Mashyana in Zoroastrian mythology; King Arthur and Morgause in Arthurian legend.


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Is Orfi Marriage Legal In Egypt
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