New Family Law Regulations Implemented in Saudi Arabia

The Personal Status Regulations, a legal reform approved by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, has been implemented in Saudi Arabia. Consisting of 41 articles, the regulations are designed to reinforce the legal framework governing family matters in the kingdom. The new measures introduce specific guidelines for marriage contracts, custody rights and marital relations.

Under the new regulations, the Minister of Justice has been granted authority to establish procedures for cases involving marriage contracts conducted without prior approval. The law also allows for the introduction of additional regulations based on judicial applications and evolving legal requirements. One notable provision mandates the official documentation of marriage contracts between non-Muslims, irrespective of nationality.

In matters of marital rights, the regulations specify that a wife’s right to request marriage annulment due to a condition preventing marital relations is not invalidated simply because she did not take immediate legal action. Additionally, privacy between spouses is considered compromised if an observer capable of distinguishing relationships is present, reinforcing legal protections for personal boundaries within marriage.

Custody laws have also been revised, with new provisions ensuring that mothers retain custody of children under two years old, even if they remarry a man unrelated to the child. The law further establishes 18 as the legal age of marriage and affirms a woman’s right to financial support from her husband, as well as her right to request a marriage annulment under specific conditions.