Article 8 of the Saudi Personal Status Law makes marriage documentation mandatory. Both spouses — or at least one of them — are responsible for ensuring the marriage contract is officially registered according to applicable procedures. Failing to document a marriage can create serious legal complications, especially regarding residency, inheritance, and children's status.
For non-Muslim expats, Article 8 specifically provides that their marriage contracts are documented before the authority competent for notarization, with further details governed by the law's implementing regulations. In practice, this often involves visiting the relevant government notary office or, in some cases, your home country's embassy — though embassy-registered marriages may also need to be recognized by Saudi authorities depending on your circumstances.
A valid Saudi marriage contract under Article 13 requires: identification of both spouses, mutual consent, an offer from the guardian (wali), and two witnesses. Article 15 allows the contract to be concluded in writing if speech is not possible, or by understood gesture if neither speech nor writing is possible. Expats should ensure all documents (passport copies, divorce decrees if previously married, embassy letters, etc.) are ready and properly translated into Arabic before approaching the notary authority.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a lawyer licensed in Saudi Arabia.