From a follower in Jeddah:

Hi Carol;

I'm an Indonesian expat now living in Jeddah. Since
then I'm a regular reader of your blog and also other
blogs about living in the Kingdom.
I've found the following blog:
http://muttawa.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html
is exremely funny and full of satires about Saudi.
Very interesting as yours indeed.

On the blog, he's mentioned about how difficult for a
Saudi to have legally marriage with non-Saudi.

Based on your experience, do you think what he wrote
is true? Or just hyperbolic words like other satires.

Carol comments:

First, thanks for following my blog!  You raise a very good and important point about life -and marriage- in Saudi, particularly marriage of a Saudi to a non-Saudi.  It is a very complicated, complex and drawn out process.  While there are specific guidelines and regulations, like many things in the Kingdom, the exact processing will depend on the individuals and the circumstances.

Approval is required for a Saudi to marry a foreigner.  The approval will also be contingent on the Saudi and his position as well as the foreigner to include where she is from and what is her background.

Approval is -supposed- to have been received in advance of the marriage.  For example, before the marriage, a Saudi is to notify authorities of his intent to marry and seek permission to do so.  In practical terms, many Saudis will meet their spouse outside of the Kingdom (or even within) and simply get married.  They will have an Islamic ceremony which makes it a legal ceremony in a religious sense.   BUT this marriage is not recognized in the legal sense by the authorities (ie - government) which would therefore prevent the husband from sponsoring his wife and allowing her to have an iquama and identified as a wife.  Other rights would also be denied the wife until the authorities approve the marriage.

An approved marriage must be registered with the courts and documents would be issued to this effect as well.

There are certain positions which Saudis are told they are prevented from having a foreign spouse.  These positions include any Saudis employed in the military services, defense, foreign affairs, interior ministry and other ministries or organizations which would be considered as "sensitive."  But again, while it may clearly state Saudis working in these organizations are prevented from having foreign spouses, one will find exceptions.  Exceptions are typically made with a Saudi using his WASTA.

Patience and lots of it will be required for any relationship between a Saudi and non-Saudi who wish to marry.  Not surprisingly there are many married couples in the Kingdom who may have been islamically married but continue to await for the formal approval to have their marriage "officially and legally" recognized.  One may also hear of many couples where the Saudi male spouse is working/living in the Kingdom while his foreign wife remains outside eagerly and impatiently awaiting him to receive approval so they can finally be together and live as a normal married couple.

It is difficult for those of us who come from a Western society with its freedom of choice in regards to marriage and not ever thinking or comprehending one must acquire an approval to marry or not.  But, as typical of life in the Kingdom, it is not the same as the West and be prepared to live with contrasts and contradictions.

You will note that when discussing marriage I have always made reference to the husband as the Saudi male and the wife as the foreign spouse.  It is very very rare for a Saudi woman to take a foreign spouse.  There have been exceptions but the majority are Saudi men who choose to take foreign spouses.

This is a complex topic and one which much more could easily be written.