Rahma Al Balushi with husband Justin Halls and her daughters. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National
Rahma Al Balushi with husband Justin Halls and her daughters. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National
Rahma Al Balushi with husband Justin Halls and her daughters. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National
Rahma Al Balushi with husband Justin Halls and her daughters. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National

Omanis celebrate royal decree allowing marriages to foreigners


  • English
  • Arabic

A royal decree allowing Omanis to marry whoever they choose, regardless of nationality, has been welcomed by many in the country.

They see the decision last week by Sultan Haitham as a positive step towards establishing Oman as a more global and tolerant society.

“I am extremely happy that this decree has been announced in my country,” said Mohammad Al Balushi, 31.

“It is step forward for the future of Omanis, where people can register their marriage now by following simple steps. Now, everyone looking to get married to a foreign national will not have to put in the kind of effort I did.”

It took Mr Al Balushi about a year and a half to obtain approval to marry Pakistani citizen Hira Ishtiyaq, 31.

“Initially, they refused to give me permission to get married to a foreigner because, as part of the criteria to marry an expat, one should be above 40 years old, and I was only in my late 20s,” he said.

“It took me around 15 months of putting together the right documentation and a great deal of leg work to have all the formalities completed.”

He says marrying his wife was the best decision he had ever made.

“When I came to know that as an Omani, I wouldn’t be allowed to marry her, I was distraught. However, the process of seeking permission gave me hope and I applied to the Ministry of Interior. We have been happily married for the last 3.5 years.”

'Heartbreak in the past'

For decades, Omanis had to seek the approval of the state before marrying someone from another country.

The process could take months and, in some cases, couples were denied permission, often resulting in heartbreak.

That all changed with last week’s issuance of Royal Decree number 23/2023, which outlined new and relaxed provisions governing marriages involving foreigners.

Fahad Al Ruzeiqi, who has wanted to legally marry a Romanian citizen in Oman for 13 years, said the decree had made him very happy.

“People should have their freedom to choose their partner, and it's good to see that this royal decree is allowing individuals to do so without unnecessary obstacles,” he said.

Mr Al Ruzeiqi said the coming together of two cultures was never easy “but with respect and communication" it is possible.

Mohammad Al Balushi with his wife Hira Ishtiyaq. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National
Mohammad Al Balushi with his wife Hira Ishtiyaq. Photo: Deeba Hasan for The National

According to the National Centre for Statistical Information, more than 370 new marriage certificates were registered by Omani men who wed foreigners in 2021.

Permits were issued only if the applicant fulfilled certain conditions.

“For example, if an Omani man were to apply to marry a non-Omani, he had to prove he was financially able to afford the costs of marriage and to provide suitable housing," Saif Al Mamari, a partner at Addleshaw Goddard, a law firm in the sultanate, told The National.

“Also, an Omani man couldn't take a non-Omani woman as a second wife, unless his Omani wife — the first wife — was unable to carry out her marital duties.”

“People who have been married without permission previously should be fine now with the announcement of the royal decree, if their marriage documents are in order,” Mr Al Mamari said.

Rahma Al Balushi, 46, no relation of Mr Al Balushi, said she was pleasantly surprised when she heard the news.

“I never expected this day to come because the whole approval process would take a while and was quite rigorous,” said Ms Al Balushi, who is married to Justin Halls, 47, from Britain.

As required by Omani law, Mr Halls had to convert to Islam to marry Ms Al Balushi and the approval process took about a year.

“For Justin and me, the approval process was easier because I met the criteria of being able to marry a foreign national. I was over 40 years of age and a divorcee.”

Before marrying Mr Halls, Ms Al Balushi was married to a Dutch citizen and had two daughters who are now aged 15 and 16.

“I was 24 when my ex-husband and I decided to get married. We went ahead to seek approval from the Ministry of Interior, where they rejected my request, but I was determined. We were granted permission after three long years of persistence and continuous follow-ups. We eventually got married when I was 27 and my husband was 36.”

Ms Al Balushi said it was important to be careful as marriage is a big decision.

“Both partners should be well aware of their rights and seek legal support wherever necessary. Omanis that are married to foreign nationals should be given counselling and the rights to a lawyer who can advise them to ensure their rights are protected,” she said.

The law officially came into effect on Tuesday, after Article (7) of the decree said that the law shall be published in the Official Gazette and enforced the following day.

Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia

If you go

The flights 

Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.

The trip

The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore  offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.

The hotel

There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.

 

 

UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20card%3Cbr%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERobert%20Whittaker%20defeated%20Ikram%20Aliskerov%20via%20knockout%20(Round%201)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAlexander%20Volkov%20def%20Sergei%20Pavlovich%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EKelvin%20Gastelum%20def%20Daniel%20Rodriguez%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EShara%20Magomedov%20def%20Antonio%20Trocoli%20via%20knockout%20(Round%203)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELight%20heavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EVolkan%20Oezdemir%20def%20Johnny%20Walker%20via%20knockout%20(Round%201)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPreliminary%20Card%0D%3Cbr%3ELightweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ENasrat%20Haqparast%20def%20Jared%20Gordon%20via%20split%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EFelipe%20Lima%20def%20Muhammad%20Naimov%20via%20submission%20(Round%203)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERinat%20Fakhretdinov%20defeats%20Nicolas%20Dalby%20via%20split%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuin%20Gafurov%20def%20Kang%20Kyung-ho%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELight%20heavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMagomed%20Gadzhiyasulov%20def%20Brendson%20Ribeiro%20via%20majority%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChang%20Ho%20Lee%20def%20Xiao%20Long%20via%20split%20decision%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
While you're here
Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

The story of Edge

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.

It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.

Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.

Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab

 

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Updated: April 28, 2023, 9:46 AM`