GETTING MARRIED IN OMAN

Legal

Marrying a non-Omani

As requested, today I will talk about the conditions of a non-Omani marrying an Omani. I know there are many people who want to marry Omanis and have endless questions about the conditions. I hope this will be a guide to help those with good intentions to be able to marry the ones they love.

First, I will state the Islamic laws that pertain this specific subject:

If you are a non-Omani and want to marry a:

Male: You have to be either Muslim, Christian, or a Jew.
If you are a non-Muslim, you need to accept the fact that your children will grow up to be Muslims. If the person you want to marry tells you otherwise, then believe me… he will change his mind after the baby is born. This does not mean the children are banned from attending any non-Muslim activities with the mother and her family. However, it depends on the parents’ agreement.

Female: You have to be a Muslim.
Here, I have seen Muslim females marry non-Muslim males. It really depends on the cultural background of the girl. If she is from a conservative family, then forget it. You have to be a Muslim. Usually, children follow their father’s religion, which is the main reason for this inflexibility for Muslim females.

Other than that, Islam does not care where you are from or what ancestry background you have. Islam, actually, encourages marriage from all different places. The other requirements for getting married in Islam are the regular: faithful, good manners, respectful, …etc. If you want to know more you can google it.
In reality, Islam is so easy when it comes to marriage from non-Arabs. Complications are usually from the laws and culture.

The Omani civil laws that pertain this specific subject:

1- That the parties should seek a marriage permit from the Interior Ministry and the conditions for approval are as follows:
a. There are medical or social conditions that require a marriage of a non-Omani. (Yes people, you get to marry the defective ones!)
b. The non-Omani who is seeking this permission should have the financial ability to marry and care for their spouse.
c. The Omani may not be married to an Omani female while seeking this permit, unless she is unable to meet her martial requirements. (I don’t know. I guess it means if she can’t bare children)

2- A committee is formed to review the request. The committee will consist of:
a. Two people from the Interior Ministry, in which one is the head of the committee.
b. One person from the Ministry of Social Development.
c. One person from the Omani Royal Police.
The committee then sends a report to the Interior Minister to give the proper decision.

3- The following instances are exempt from the first and second law:
First, Omanis can marry non-Omani’s after permission from the Interior Minister in the following conditions:
a. If the non-Omani is from the Gulf countries.
b. If the non-Omani is the son of an Omani female that has lived in Oman for 18 years. (Women do not pass their citizinship to their children in Oman)
c. If the Omani female who is seeking the permit is divorced or widowed with children. (this is just too much!)
Second, the Interior Ministry can issue a permit for marrying non-Omanis in the following conditions:
a. If the person seeking marriage lives in borders of the country, and wants to marry someones from the neighbouring country. (I think this applies for Yemen because it is not considered a Gulf country)
b. If the person seeking marriage is an Omani through naturalization. (If they have the citizenship, why would they need a permit!!?)

4- Consequences for not following the proper procedure:
a. A fine that is no more than 2000 Omani Rials.
b. You cannot enter your spouse in the country.
c. You will not be employed. (I don’t know if private sector is included or if it is just goverment employment)

Divorce

Unless you are married to an Omani, you may find it simpler to get divorced in your home country. Whether you choose to carry out the divorce in Oman or back home, you should contact your embassy first for guidance on the procedures and laws that apply to separation of assets, custody of children and legal status. While they may be able to provide some guidance, you should also contact a good lawyer in your home country, who will be able to advise on all aspects (for a fee, of course).

All divorces occurring in Oman need to be reported within 30 days from the date of the event. You will need a completed application form, divorce notification from the Ministry of Justice or divorce certificate authenticated by the Oman diplomatic mission in the country where the divorce took place. If one of the married couple is an Omani citizen, their resident card or passport and their ID card should be produced, along with an approval letter from the Ministry of Interior. Divorces are finalised at the Department of Notary Public (24 485 795).