Amendments to notarization procedures will require foreigners to pay LE50,000 when seeking to marry an Egyptian woman if there is a 25-year age gap.
Based on amendments approved by Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zend published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday, foreigners will be required to deposit a LE50,000 investment certificate in the National Bank of Egypt in the name of the bride if the age difference between the couple is more than 25 years.
Waleed Shehata, a legal expert in personal affairs, told independent daily Youm7 that the amendments raise the already stipulated sum by LE10,000.
Shehata said the goal behind the law is to curb "social crises" resulting from what he called "touristic marriages", where rich older visitors, mainly from the Arab Gulf, get married briefly to young Egyptian girls for a humble payment. He said the amended payment is designed to ensure a relative degree of financial security for the wife in case of divorce.
"Though important, the decision does not ensure complete protection for girls," said Shehata. "The bride's parents eye the money while the Gulf husband targets sexual pleasure disregarding the money he pays."
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
