Why Can't I Marry The Girl I Love??

AL_NAAMANI · 20th April 2003, 01:36 AM

Well guys this does not directly involve me.I was really shocked to find out the other day that Omani men/women are not allowed to marry foreign women/men respectively.
Well apparently they can marry them but they should not expect their wives or kids to to get residency in Oman and eventual citzenship.Isn't that going against someones human rights?
When I asked someone about the issue they told me that this law was passed because alot of Omani men were marrying foreigners and therefore the Omani women were not getting married.I mean honestly is this a good enough reason to disallow people who are in love to not get married?
The problem here is that I don't think any government has the right to dictate to people who they can and cannot marry.Well I can understand there being a problem with the foreign women getting Omani citzenship...but what about the kids?
I know lots of men who have married foreign women and they have to suffer financally,emotionally because their wives only get the 3 month visas to come to Oman.When the visa expires they have to go back home and they can only come back again after 6 months.This means constant heartache,money and pain as the woman is made to yo-yo around the world and not settle down and raise her kids.I mean honestly what is going on?
I want to marry a girl that I love irrespective of colour,creed or race and it is so unfair that I have to narrow my choices because the government has a law that denies me that which I want.

Neo · 20th April 2003, 01:50 AM

old topic, been there done that. In a nutshell, it sucks. But look in the bright side, if we marry outside, than what would happen to our poor Omani girls. As it is they have difficulties finding the right man <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

AL_NAAMANI · 20th April 2003, 02:47 AM

Neo,
I don't remember seeing this post and I am the 100th member.We now have about 700 members.So I think maybe alot of other guys have not discussed it and they might want to discuss it now.

Don Khaled · 20th April 2003, 04:23 AM

AL_NAAMANI, don't you just hate it when the governemnt interferes in your personal life? Government basically acts like an as-hole sometimes, so you got to accept the fact of "Follow them, or just leave the country".

Anyways, I don't believe you can do much about marrying another lady from outside, except if you are some hot shot.

Music_Lover · 20th April 2003, 02:25 PM

First I LOVE omani girls <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> second, its not that you are not allowed to marry them, you can marry them but its very hard to get them citizenship. you have to know people in high places if you know what i mean. I guess thats just the law, you can marry whoever you want, but that doesn't make your wife "omani" she is still from a different place. i dont think that we should categorize people like that. But i really don't see a problem with it, maybe you do.

Liquid_Dreams · 20th April 2003, 05:35 PM

What's this with poor Omani girls? WHo said that we would only want to marry Omanies any ways? I want to be given the option to marry whoever irrespective if he is Bahraini, English, Japanese.. keifi. DOnt take us Omani girls to be the source of this problem because we are in the same boat.

Neo · 20th April 2003, 05:40 PM

no you arent and you know it. If it wasnt for you, the government would have allowed this. But because of the Mahar and of the statistics that many unmarried omani women out there forced the government to apply this law. Ask around, that exactly the reason

Liquid_Dreams · 20th April 2003, 06:06 PM

So its not because that you guys abused the system and really just go for the cheap ones( the ones will not even cost you the 2000 R.O that you have to pay) and kel min hab oo dab is on your list of getting married? lets brong this house maid.. heck why doesnt she be my wife too!!!

Neo · 20th April 2003, 06:35 PM

A mahar should not be more than 2000 rials period. I am not buying a woman for crying out loud, I am marrying one

Liquid_Dreams · 20th April 2003, 06:55 PM

buying a woman??? what century are you living in???

Well a man who sells his daughter than will only deserve one who buys her and to hell with the daughter after all she wanted to be put in that kind of situation la.

Dabdoob_Al_Helwa · 20th April 2003, 08:43 PM

Marriage isnt a game or a compromise where you discuss how much money you will get for the daughter etc...thats ridiculous!

Anyways, I think everyone should have the right to chose who they want to spend the rest of their life with. I understand why the government made this rule because alot of Omani men were leaving the country and marrying foreign ladies just so they could get the green card in america or a british citizenship etc...after all i know that alot of people are not happy living in oman due to lack of jobs and freedom etc...
But i still dont think it justifies the fact that men and women can not decide whom they want to marry. People cant stop their heart from loving someone!

Invincible · 20th April 2003, 08:54 PM

Al-Naamani,

Not giving the citizenship to the foreigner we marry is fair enough. Oman seems to give our culture and traditions a lot of importance, and perhaps the Govt. fears that our country will become really cosmopolitan like London, Dubai etc. I dont have a big problem with that, sometimes, we have to pay the price for some of our unwanted actions by the government. The Government is obviously trying to encourage us to marry within the circle. Now, what I feel is that they shouldnt have the right to stop us or for us to take permission to marry an expat.

As for getting the citizenship, you dont get the nationality immediately if you were in Britain or the US. You have to prove that you have lived with that person, know very private things about them etc. Anyhow, I think what should change though is that the foreign partner should at least get permanent residency and a work permit instead of those lousy 3-month visit visas.

muscati · 20th April 2003, 10:22 PM

I've heard from more than one person that it is now easier than before for a guy to get a permission to marry from abroad. As for women it's always been a much easier process for Omani women to marry foreign men, but as was mentioned the husband doesn't get Omani citizen until he completes the compulsory 20 or 25 year residency as per the usual citizenship law. If a man gets permission to marry a foreigner his wife can take the Omani citizenship after completing a much shorter time. I think it's as short as 5 years.

But the really hellish part is for the children of Omani mothers. They can't get the citizenship until they complete the 20 years, unless their father gets his citizenship before they turn 18, and then get it automatically.

I'm not sure the reason the marriage ban was implemented was because Omanis weren't marrying Omani women. I mean look at it, it's been almost 20 years since this law was started and we still have a big problem of unmarried women. However I can understand those who say that if it wasn't for the law a whole lot more Omani men would have married from abroad.

We did have a huge problem in the 70's when Omanis studied abroad and married and then when they brought their wives with them here they couldn't stand life in our conditions and society. A lot of divorces followed and in some cases the women ran away with the kids and the Omani fathers couldn't see their kids again.

Brini69 · 20th April 2003, 10:49 PM

O dear! So basically if an omani man marries a foreigner the children will not be citizens of oman, but the mothers nationality? And also how does one get persmission to marry a person from abroad? This is very interesting!

Nomad · 20th April 2003, 11:09 PM

I thought that the children get the fathers nationality.

Liquid_Dreams · 20th April 2003, 11:28 PM

<blockquote><font class="small"><hr />
because alot of Omani men were leaving the country and marrying foreign ladies just so they could get the green card in america or a british citizenship etc...after all i know that alot of people are not happy living in oman due to lack of jobs and freedom etc..

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Morbid, why would a man be interested in getting the permission from the government to marry a non Omani if he doesnt want to lIve in Oman and wants to get a citizenship and a nationality of some other country???

20th April 2003, 01:50 AM	#2
Neo Founder Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Bahrain Posts: 12,113 Thanked 47 Times in 30 Posts Reputation: 260	old topic, been there done that. In a nutshell, it sucks. But look in the bright side, if we marry outside, than what would happen to our poor Omani girls. As it is they have difficulties finding the right man <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> __________________

20th April 2003, 05:40 PM	#7
Neo Founder Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Bahrain Posts: 12,113 Thanked 47 Times in 30 Posts Reputation: 260	no you arent and you know it. If it wasnt for you, the government would have allowed this. But because of the Mahar and of the statistics that many unmarried omani women out there forced the government to apply this law. Ask around, that exactly the reason __________________

20th April 2003, 06:35 PM	#9
Neo Founder Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Bahrain Posts: 12,113 Thanked 47 Times in 30 Posts Reputation: 260	A mahar should not be more than 2000 rials period. I am not buying a woman for crying out loud, I am marrying one __________________

20th April 2003, 10:22 PM	#13
muscati Administrator Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Muscat, Oman Posts: 11,291 Thanked 57 Times in 37 Posts Reputation: 95	I've heard from more than one person that it is now easier than before for a guy to get a permission to marry from abroad. As for women it's always been a much easier process for Omani women to marry foreign men, but as was mentioned the husband doesn't get Omani citizen until he completes the compulsory 20 or 25 year residency as per the usual citizenship law. If a man gets permission to marry a foreigner his wife can take the Omani citizenship after completing a much shorter time. I think it's as short as 5 years. But the really hellish part is for the children of Omani mothers. They can't get the citizenship until they complete the 20 years, unless their father gets his citizenship before they turn 18, and then get it automatically. I'm not sure the reason the marriage ban was implemented was because Omanis weren't marrying Omani women. I mean look at it, it's been almost 20 years since this law was started and we still have a big problem of unmarried women. However I can understand those who say that if it wasn't for the law a whole lot more Omani men would have married from abroad. We did have a huge problem in the 70's when Omanis studied abroad and married and then when they brought their wives with them here they couldn't stand life in our conditions and society. A lot of divorces followed and in some cases the women ran away with the kids and the Omani fathers couldn't see their kids again. __________________ "If a man can be considered guilty for what goes on in his mind, then give me the electric chair for all my future crimes" My future crimes: www.muscati.com \| Follow me on Twitter: Muscati \| On Flickr: muscati and muscatiblog

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20th April 2003, 01:36 AM	#1
AL_NAAMANI Loyal Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 2,321 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: 10	Well guys this does not directly involve me.I was really shocked to find out the other day that Omani men/women are not allowed to marry foreign women/men respectively. Well apparently they can marry them but they should not expect their wives or kids to to get residency in Oman and eventual citzenship.Isn't that going against someones human rights? When I asked someone about the issue they told me that this law was passed because alot of Omani men were marrying foreigners and therefore the Omani women were not getting married.I mean honestly is this a good enough reason to disallow people who are in love to not get married? The problem here is that I don't think any government has the right to dictate to people who they can and cannot marry.Well I can understand there being a problem with the foreign women getting Omani citzenship...but what about the kids? I know lots of men who have married foreign women and they have to suffer financally,emotionally because their wives only get the 3 month visas to come to Oman.When the visa expires they have to go back home and they can only come back again after 6 months.This means constant heartache,money and pain as the woman is made to yo-yo around the world and not settle down and raise her kids.I mean honestly what is going on? I want to marry a girl that I love irrespective of colour,creed or race and it is so unfair that I have to narrow my choices because the government has a law that denies me that which I want.

20th April 2003, 02:47 AM	#3
AL_NAAMANI Loyal Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 2,321 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: 10	Neo, I don't remember seeing this post and I am the 100th member.We now have about 700 members.So I think maybe alot of other guys have not discussed it and they might want to discuss it now.

20th April 2003, 04:23 AM	#4
Don Khaled Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: God's land Posts: 5,725 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: 10	AL_NAAMANI, don't you just hate it when the governemnt interferes in your personal life? Government basically acts like an as-hole sometimes, so you got to accept the fact of "Follow them, or just leave the country". Anyways, I don't believe you can do much about marrying another lady from outside, except if you are some hot shot.

20th April 2003, 02:25 PM	#5
Music_Lover Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 320 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: 10	First I LOVE omani girls <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> second, its not that you are not allowed to marry them, you can marry them but its very hard to get them citizenship. you have to know people in high places if you know what i mean. I guess thats just the law, you can marry whoever you want, but that doesn't make your wife "omani" she is still from a different place. i dont think that we should categorize people like that. But i really don't see a problem with it, maybe you do.

20th April 2003, 05:35 PM	#6
Liquid_Dreams Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 9,175 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	What's this with poor Omani girls? WHo said that we would only want to marry Omanies any ways? I want to be given the option to marry whoever irrespective if he is Bahraini, English, Japanese.. keifi. DOnt take us Omani girls to be the source of this problem because we are in the same boat.

20th April 2003, 06:06 PM	#8
Liquid_Dreams Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 9,175 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	So its not because that you guys abused the system and really just go for the cheap ones( the ones will not even cost you the 2000 R.O that you have to pay) and kel min hab oo dab is on your list of getting married? lets brong this house maid.. heck why doesnt she be my wife too!!!

20th April 2003, 06:55 PM	#10
Liquid_Dreams Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 9,175 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	buying a woman??? what century are you living in??? Well a man who sells his daughter than will only deserve one who buys her and to hell with the daughter after all she wanted to be put in that kind of situation la.

20th April 2003, 08:43 PM	#11
Dabdoob_Al_Helwa Loyal Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,579 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	Marriage isnt a game or a compromise where you discuss how much money you will get for the daughter etc...thats ridiculous! Anyways, I think everyone should have the right to chose who they want to spend the rest of their life with. I understand why the government made this rule because alot of Omani men were leaving the country and marrying foreign ladies just so they could get the green card in america or a british citizenship etc...after all i know that alot of people are not happy living in oman due to lack of jobs and freedom etc... But i still dont think it justifies the fact that men and women can not decide whom they want to marry. People cant stop their heart from loving someone!

20th April 2003, 08:54 PM	#12
Invincible Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 11,794 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 15	Al-Naamani, Not giving the citizenship to the foreigner we marry is fair enough. Oman seems to give our culture and traditions a lot of importance, and perhaps the Govt. fears that our country will become really cosmopolitan like London, Dubai etc. I dont have a big problem with that, sometimes, we have to pay the price for some of our unwanted actions by the government. The Government is obviously trying to encourage us to marry within the circle. Now, what I feel is that they shouldnt have the right to stop us or for us to take permission to marry an expat. As for getting the citizenship, you dont get the nationality immediately if you were in Britain or the US. You have to prove that you have lived with that person, know very private things about them etc. Anyhow, I think what should change though is that the foreign partner should at least get permanent residency and a work permit instead of those lousy 3-month visit visas.

20th April 2003, 10:49 PM	#14
Brini69 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 276 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	O dear! So basically if an omani man marries a foreigner the children will not be citizens of oman, but the mothers nationality? And also how does one get persmission to marry a person from abroad? This is very interesting!

20th April 2003, 11:09 PM	#15
Nomad Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 3,698 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: 10	I thought that the children get the fathers nationality.

20th April 2003, 11:28 PM	#16
Liquid_Dreams Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 9,175 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: 10	<blockquote><font class="small"><hr /> because alot of Omani men were leaving the country and marrying foreign ladies just so they could get the green card in america or a british citizenship etc...after all i know that alot of people are not happy living in oman due to lack of jobs and freedom etc.. <hr /></blockquote><font class="post"> Morbid, why would a man be interested in getting the permission from the government to marry a non Omani if he doesnt want to lIve in Oman and wants to get a citizenship and a nationality of some other country???