32% of Saudi-expat marriages break up

Around 32 percent of marriages between Saudis and foreigners end up in divorce, according to figures released for 2011 by the Justice Ministry .
According to data released by the ministry, more than 12,000 Saudi men and 9,400 women married foreigners between 2007 and 2011. Of them, 23 percent of Saudi men divorced their foreign wives, while 9 percent of Saudi women left their foreign husbands during the period.
Cultural and extensive legal issues are often the reason behind the failure of these intercultural marriages.
Saudi women who had children from foreigners face many problems in particular since they were not represented by their spouses in government departments at the time of the marriage.
In addition, sons born to Saudi women faced lengthy administrative hurdle in getting jobs, which include presenting their mothers’ national ID card, their birth certificates and passports.
Children born to Saudi women and expat men also cannot represent their mothers in the government sector since they are considered foreigners.
These children also cannot inherit their mother’s real estate assets or study under the national scholarship program.
In fact, children born to Saudi women are obliged to seek another sponsor in the event their mother dies.
Saudi men also face their fair share of suffering when they marry foreigners, which is why many Saudi women find it difficult to accept expat daughter in-laws.
Abdulellah, a 48-year-old Saudi, said he faced many social and legal issues when he returned to the kingdom after marrying a foreigner.
Children born to Saudi women were, however, allowed to work in the private sector without transferring sponsorships as of 2012 and were even allowed to pass the nationality onto their expat mothers.
Still, many have not been able to benefit from these new laws.
A 52-year-old Moroccan woman told Arab News of her ordeal after her Saudi husband died.
“I had three kids from my late husband and have not been able to become a Saudi citizen since. Whenever I visit the Interior Ministry, I am not given any answer,” she said.