Marriage in Egypt

[ya falaha! 0]

I agree. I think it has to do with preventing fraud. The gov't would still get their money regardless of filing for a fiance or a spousal visa. Plus, it was the Egyptian gov't that put this rule in place, not ours. The Egyptian gov't would actually benefit more if a couple could get married in Egypt. They are losing out on processing fees they gain for all the signatures and stamps that one must get in order to be married at the ministry of justice.

I was thinking more about this and the idea came to me that it's business. They knew the fees were going to be raised the end of July, and they knew the amount of marriages that would rush due to the raise in fees so they squeezed the necks of people by issuing the new limits in April. By doing this they are achieving two things. Redirecting the potential marriage partner through the proper channels of immigration by excluding this loop hole and getting more bange for the buck doing so.

I don't think so. Don't get me wrong the gov't is totally money hungry with those unreasonable fees that won't end up speeding up *anyone's* process and all, but I totally think it's due to the number of fraudulent marriages that are occuring. Of course I have no stats to back that statement up but I'm sure the gov't does. I mean why else meddle in our business like that?

[blueblue 0]

You could always choose to get married in another country besides US or Egypt. It is a nice catch 22 that the US and Egyptian governments have created. As if it wasn't hard enough for couples before this.

But, if you are really determined to get married, you can find a way. Try Cyprus or Jordan or Dubai or ? Before you decide, check on the marriage requirements for each country. Then contact the US embassy where you decide to marry, BEFORE you do. Tell them you are planning to marry there and would like to process through their embassy and see what you need to do. Up until the change on DCF, if you married in a country the US embassy would process your papers there. After the changes, I am not sure where they stand, probably each have different procedures.

[blueblue 0]

What happened to the edit button?

You could always choose to get married in another country besides US or Egypt. It is a nice catch 22 that the US and Egyptian governments have created. Actually, it is a change that the US government instituted. The Egyptian government has always (at least the last 6 years I've been paying attention) required a document (saying the USC is eligible to marry) signed by the US embassy before they would register a marriage. But the US recently decided they couldn't give those documents anymore. As if it wasn't hard enough for couples before this.

But, if you are really determined to get married, you can find a way. Try Cyprus or Jordan or Dubai or ? Before you decide, check on the marriage requirements for each country. Then contact the US embassy where you decide to marry, BEFORE you do. Tell them you are planning to marry there and would like to process through their embassy and see what you need to do. Up until the change on DCF, if you married in a country the US embassy would process your papers there. After the changes, I am not sure where they stand, probably each have different procedures.

BTW, when we married in Cyprus they also asked for a document attesting from each of us that we were free to marry. They said my husband (non-USC) could get it at the county court house in Nicosia. They said I had to get one from the US embassy, even though I had a notarized statement with me. They wouldn't accept that, had to be from US embassy. We went to the Nicosia court house and got my husband's paper. He swore he was eligible to marry, they stamped a paper, we paid a fee, all set. Then we went to US embassy, what a nightmare. The embassy was shut for some emergency with fire trucks and all. Nothing serious, but no paper. We went back to plead our case because we couldn't get in the embassy and running short on time. This time they still wouldn't take my notarized statement swearing I was free to marry, but said I could get one from the Nicosia court house. So we went back there and I swore I was eligible, they stamped the paper, we paid the fee and ran back to get married.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

What happened to the edit button?

you have a short period of time, i think 5 minutes max, to edit and resubmit a post.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I agree. I think it has to do with preventing fraud. The gov't would still get their money regardless of filing for a fiance or a spousal visa. Plus, it was the Egyptian gov't that put this rule in place, not ours. The Egyptian gov't would actually benefit more if a couple could get married in Egypt. They are losing out on processing fees they gain for all the signatures and stamps that one must get in order to be married at the ministry of justice.

I was thinking more about this and the idea came to me that it's business. They knew the fees were going to be raised the end of July, and they knew the amount of marriages that would rush due to the raise in fees so they squeezed the necks of people by issuing the new limits in April. By doing this they are achieving two things. Redirecting the potential marriage partner through the proper channels of immigration by excluding this loop hole and getting more bange for the buck doing so.

I don't think so. Don't get me wrong the gov't is totally money hungry with those unreasonable fees that won't end up speeding up *anyone's* process and all, but I totally think it's due to the number of fraudulent marriages that are occuring. Of course I have no stats to back that statement up but I'm sure the gov't does. I mean why else meddle in our business like that?

Then in that case the Egyptian government benefits because now those Egyptian men can't take the loop hole of marrying non-native wives and staying out of the military because of it. Which could look like fraud but the truth of the matter is only the people in the relationship really know what is going on. People get married for different reasons and of course every case is unique in the various considerations that is brought to the table by the individuals involved.

[ya falaha! 0]

Unfortunately, most of the time the fraud committed is only known to one party. How many ppl do you know will come out and say...I'm using you for a visa? I believe this is what they're trying to prevent.

About military obligations...marrying a foreigner does not make one exempt from the military. Why do you think they require military papers for the interview? To make sure the man doesn't have military obligations. The only way an Egyptian benefits from marrying a foreigner in this case is that their children would be exempt.

[Aymsgirl 0]

I had to comment on your comment (bolded). Don't you think that many of the ppl who ended up divorced did love each other (or at least one party was in love) for at least a short time prior to divorce? Nothing is guaranteed. I, personally, agree with the Egyptian gov't decision to make it hard for ppl to get married. We may never know how much fraud it cuts down on but even if it's one instance I'm all for it. It's kinda like when parents forbid things for their child's own good. Sometimes I wish I was forbidden to get myself into this mess.

Yes, this is correct and I know first-hand because my fiancee and I tried in June. We even had a paper notarized from Ohio stating that I was an American Christian who according to the American law was legally able to marry. My fiancee is a lawyer in Egypt and was told that if the embassy stamped this paper stating that it was indeed an American document that the ministry would possibly consider it. No such luck, they kept our paper and questioned our relationship and intentions and I'll just comment that it was a very unfortunate situation. The last I looked the change was still the same and has been in effect since April 2007. My fiancee said that when he sat down with the manager at the ministry of justice that he was told that it was due to the large amounts of Egyptian/American marriages that are going on and the end results is divorce. Which if this is true it hurt us good people who are in love. This situation is what put our marriage off and why we are are now on this visa journey. Good luck with your situation and hopefully they will change the requirements soon.

Hi Moody! I agree with you nothing is guaranteed when it comes to marriage. This could cut down on a lot of fraudulent marriages or attempts of it and I personally believe that is what their true intentions are. Somedays I am like one of the other posters and feel like its my right to marry whom I want to marry. This is all part of the life I chose and we are in it for the long run together so one day it will happen to us, God willing. Thanks as always for your comments!

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

I told this subject to Medo. And he says the egyptian goverment dont want to end up with a country full of just women. And loose all there men to America

[Sand 5]

What happened to the edit button?

you have a short period of time, i think 5 minutes max, to edit and resubmit a post.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Sand

[I love Ashraf 0]

I am not saying that I don't understand because I have heard horror stories.But if we get married here or there,there is always a risk that it does not work out.I just wanted to get married there to cut down on the drama and stress because getting married here is too much for me.I just thought this was crazy,we have enough to deal with getting out loved ones into the US.I know a lie don't care who tell it but this is just one more thing to deal with.And if I was going to commit fraud I sure as heck would spend all this time,money and energy and having the government all up in my business.But I can discuss any of this with Ashraf because he is out in the desert playing solider(Egyptian Military),so when he comes home in Oct we will have to weigh our options.Islamic marriage is fine but I am having some health issues and I want us to be legally married just in case.

Edited August 30, 2007 by ashandran77

[doodlebug 3]

I told this subject to Medo. And he says the egyptian goverment dont want to end up with a country full of just women. And loose all there men to America

I think that is a BIG factor as well.

[Aymsgirl 0]

I am not saying that I don't understand because I have heard horror stories.But if we get married here or there,there is always a risk that it does not work out.I just wanted to get married there to cut down on the drama and stress because getting married here is too much for me.I just thought this was crazy,we have enough to deal with getting out loved ones into the US.I know a lie don't care who tell it but this is just one more thing to deal with.And if I was going to commit fraud I sure as heck would spend all this time,money and energy and having the government all up in my business.But I can discuss any of this with Ashraf because he is out in the desert playing solider(Egyptian Military),so when he comes home in Oct we will have to weigh our options.Islamic marriage is fine but I am having some health issues and I want us to be legally married just in case.

Good luck ashandran with this process. If I hear of any changes myself I'll let you know. I am in the same boat with health problems. I am having a baby and just going into my second trimester and having health problems with the pregnancy. It is a lot of stress and worry when you are in this situation or not having health problems wondering about dealing when you will be together. Let me know if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, sometimes just talking helps with the stress. That's why I like this website so much...you have people you can see their situations and share yours with and get advice. For this Islamic marriage...do you both have to be muslim and is this an urfi marriage? I just have questions about that, I can ask my SO when I speak to him tonight but just wondering what information anybody has on this besides it is not legal here but legal there. Is it registered in Egypt?

[ya falaha! 0]

T and A...

My gf who had the registered urfi isn't Muslim but her husband is. I know that they had lawyers involved. The marriage contract itself was hand written on loose leaf paper. Her lawyer then had it registered with the court in Cairo. Not sure where this court is. All I know is that the marriage is legal in Egypt and she has all rights of a wife in Egypt. Here she is considered unmarried.

I have a question that I hope isn't too personal. My gf has a two month daughter with her husband. You're pregnant now and will likely give birth before your fiance is here. I know it's frowned upon in Egypt to have a child out of wedlock but I'm not sure if it's "illegal". Do you think it would be difficult for her to obtain a K1 visa for her husband if they already have a child together? I know some ppl on VJ had been married Islamically then applied for a K1 but I don't know if any of them had children prior to the visa being issued. Basically I'm curious if her husband would get into any trouble because he has a child with her and the gov't would not know they are married. If anyone has experience with this I would so appreciate any responses.

[HLM 1]

salam to u asharadan.

listen it is true but i ended up getting married al hamdulillah but u have to know its not easy and u need a LOT of patience. stupid me when i planned my marriage to my american husband. i didnt look up much on what i should do or what should happen. it never crossed my mind that there wd be any problem for two ppl to get married ( poor me lol).so anyways one week before my husband ( my fiance then) and his family come to egypt me n my dad went to " al shahr al aqary" and got the devastating news. my dad was soo mad at me for my ignorance. i had the wedding planned and everything was paid for in advance!!! god i felt like my whole world crumbled down into pieces. anyways to make the story short, what we did is find a lawyer (who will ask for a lot of money and make u feel like he is going to move mountains for u) well try to bargain as much as u can but in my situation i was literally desparate. what the lawyer does is... he files an exceptional letter to the minister of justice saying these ppl want to get married plz approve. nothing garaunteed unfortunately. becoz if the minister doesnt feel it then he wont approve. i guess the only thing that helped us that he has arab parents so his name is arab and we re both muslim.

the other option is the urfi which i was soooooooooooooooo ready to do becoz me n my husband had a k-1 visa filed for like 5 months and we felt like its sooo close to getting done we didnt want all this time and money to go to waste!!! and plus i wanted to be with him the fastest time ever. but my dad couldnt live up with the idea at aalllllllllll:(. now im stuck here without my husband cancelling the k-1 and we re STILL gonna start the K-3 i cant imagine the nightmare i got myself into. anyways i just wanted to tell u theres hope .... i guess lol.

im sorry i said my life story .. i guess i feel like i wanted to let it out!!!!!

raghda ouassini

[ya falaha! 0]

Honestly if you're just gonna do a justice of the peace style thing...getting married in the US is easier. I got married in the US (both Islamically and civily) and had a smallish reception and it was still easier than Egypt. Getting married in Egypt had us running around all damn day from one part of the city to the other and back. Here you just apply for the marriage license and wait a couple days to pick it up (at least that's how it is in Michigan). I really don't know how health issues would make you in a rush to get married. I would think it would delay marriage.

I am not saying that I don't understand because I have heard horror stories.But if we get married here or there,there is always a risk that it does not work out.I just wanted to get married there to cut down on the drama and stress because getting married here is too much for me.I just thought this was crazy,we have enough to deal with getting out loved ones into the US.I know a lie don't care who tell it but this is just one more thing to deal with.And if I was going to commit fraud I sure as heck would spend all this time,money and energy and having the government all up in my business.But I can discuss any of this with Ashraf because he is out in the desert playing solider(Egyptian Military),so when he comes home in Oct we will have to weigh our options.Islamic marriage is fine but I am having some health issues and I want us to be legally married just in case.