President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday approved a number of amendments to a 2007 legislative decree on civil (marital) status.
Some of the amended articles state that each civil status incident that occurs to a Syrian citizen in a foreign country shall be regarded “valid” if it is dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the laws of that country and without conflicting with Syrian laws.
Couples must register the incident with the Syrian embassy or consulate, or the embassy or consulate in charge of Syrian affairs in their place of residence or where the marriage takes place.
The amendments also stipulate that Syrians married to foreigners require the approval of the Syrian Foreign Ministry to be registered, after which a compulsory family card will be issued.
According to the law, a fine of 15,000 Syrian pounds ($70) must be paid if an individual does not apply for registration within one year of turning 18.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
