International Marriage Laws in Egypt?

Under the Egyptian Civil Code, the rules on marriage validity depend on both spouses' nationalities. Article 12 provides that the substantive conditions for a valid marriage — such as age, consent, and prohibitions — are governed by the law of each spouse's nationality. This means both your home country's law and your spouse's home country's law must be satisfied for the marriage to be considered valid.

Once married, the ongoing legal effects of the marriage — including financial arrangements and property rights between spouses — are governed by the law of the husband's nationality at the time of marriage, as stated in Article 13. Divorce is also governed by the law of the husband's nationality at the time the divorce is sought.

There is a critical exception under Article 14: if either spouse is Egyptian at the time of marriage, Egyptian law alone will govern the marriage's effects (though not capacity to marry). For expat couples where neither party is Egyptian, it is strongly recommended to register your marriage with your home country's embassy in Cairo and to seek legal advice to ensure the marriage is recognised both in Egypt and in your home jurisdiction.