Governors to OK Marriage Permits

JEDDAH, 4 March 2005 — Interior Minister Prince Naif has instructed regional governors to look into applications of Saudi men to marry non-Saudi women, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday.

“The new move allows applicants to approach regional governors instead of the Interior Ministry” to win approval for such marriages, the official agency said.

This is a small article about a big issue, on several counts.

Following the “go-fast” period of the oil boom, when marrying a Saudi seemed like a very smart thing to do, the Saudi government placed restrictions on Saudis marrying foreigners. The issue, in fact, is one that gets cited in the US State Dept’s Human Rights Reports.

Things are starting to change. Rather than having to get approval from the Ministry of Interior in Riyadh–which also houses most of the security apparatus for the country–Saudi men can now get permission from the regional governors.

This doesn’t solve the human rights problem. In fact, it leaves unaddressed the restrictions on women’s right to marry.

But it does make it easier and a bit more transparent. It also signals a loosening of control from the center on social issues. This seems to auger well for a recognition of the different cultures of the different provinces. Getting the weight of the Nejd off of peoples’ backs is something that will be welcomed. At best, though, this move can only be considered a step in the right direction; enough steps and you might get where you need to go.