MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Registration of a civil marriage with the consular services
Moroccans living abroad may enter into marriage in accordance with the local administrative procedures of their country of residence. This is subject to compliance with criteria such as proposal and acceptance, legal capacity, the presence of the marriage guardian (wali) where applicable, the absence of legal impediments, and adherence to the principle of ‘sadaq’. The ceremony must also take place in the presence of two male Muslim witnesses.
Subsequently, the spouses are required to submit (for registration) a copy of their civil marriage certificate to the relevant Moroccan consular authorities. Where there are no consular services, a copy of the marriage certificate must be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically to the Directorate of Consular and Social Affairs.
In the event that the civil marriage certificate does not mention the two Muslim witnesses, a supplementary document, commonly known as an ‘Ishhad Moulhaq’, must be drawn up by the adouls at the consular services. This supplementary certificate must be attached to the main marriage certificate before it is forwarded to the relevant Moroccan authorities.
- Consular registration (Moroccan section, if she resides within the consular district);
- An extract or full copy of the birth certificate for both spouses;
- A full copy of the marriage certificate + an Arabic translation, legalised by the local authorities (if the certificate is written in a language other than Arabic or French);
- Copies of the CNIE and passports for both spouses;
- Certificate of conversion to Islam for a non-Muslim spouse.
