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What are the Best Qatar-Made Products?

They say one of best the parts of travelling is getting to experience a variety of food or products that are native to the country you are visiting.

ALSO READ: What is Halal and its Significance to Muslims?

If getting to know a culture is through tasting various delicacies patronized in a country, then it pays to know which products or food items must be tried out by first-time travellers. Now, if we take this to a country in the Middle East such as Qatar, here are some of the best products tourists and expats need to try at least once in their life when in the Kingdom…

Products You Need to Check Out When in Qatar

From an outsider’s perspective, Qataris have a deep appreciation for all products made in their homeland. While this may reflect values such as patriotism or nationalism, its actually not so hard to appreciate one’s own products, especially when they’re so good.

But don’t take our word for it; you should at least try them on your own to find out for yourself!

On that note, here are some of the must-try products when in Qatar:

Ghadeer

Ghadeer, which is also recognized as the Arab Qatari Company for Dairy Production, was first established in 1986. The top Qatari brand started out as a project aimed at integrating livestock projects with agriculture. To date, the company owns the biggest green farm in the nation, at 1,200 hectares. The company also has around 2,000 Holstein cows in its pioneering cow farm.

Safa International Co.

So you may think, “What’s so great about water?” As a product, water is one of the most important commodities inside every household, not just in Qatar but all over the world. And if you’re looking for a great quality brand for a good price, then you should consider getting Safa water, because it has been recognized internationally for its quality after it was awarded the prestigious ISO 22000:2005 certification since 2012. The company offers products such as Water 5 gallons, dispensers, hand pumps, and cup holders, among others.

QBake

When it comes to baked products and delicacies, one of the best brands in Qatar is QBake. Their products range from sliced bread, cakes and muffins, and croissants, to Arabic breads, buns, and rolls. Most of their products can be found across a wide range of commercial establishments, which include supermarkets, hypermarkets, restaurants, catering companies, fast food outlets, groceries, and many others.

Dates

You can’t visit any country in the Middle East and not have dates. Dates are perhaps one of the top export products in the region, especially since these delightful sweet products are very popular during the month of Ramadan, eaten after fasting. Dates are also naturally healthy, since they are very rich in magnesium, iron, potassium, fibre, vitamins and minerals. And as they are very popular commodities, you can buy fresh dates all over the country, including Souq Waqif, Carrefour, and the LuLu Hypermarket.

Qatari Souvenirs

To get a tangible representation of the Qatari culture and tradition, it’s highly recommended for tourists and visitors to get special souvenirs such as coffee pots, shishas, abayas, pashminas, shawls, and wooden boxes during their trip in the country. It’s also good to note that Qatar has many ornamental products like necklaces made of pearls for sale in the Gold Souq, and other jewelry shops, as Qatar is after all, the pearl capital of the world.

If you’re big on shopping, then you might chance upon some of these popular products on your visit to the country. But if not, you can always check with the locals as to what you should consider getting on your next visit in Qatar, and where to find them.

ALSO READ: Budget-Friendly Supermarkets in Qatar

Get to Know What Your Qatar ID Number Means

For those planning to work in the Middle East or in Qatar to be exact, you will be required to have a Qatar ID card. This document comes along with a residence permit, which is usually applied for by your employer.

ALSO READ: Budget-Friendly Supermarkets in Qatar

These ID cards may simply come across to you as another government ID, but every resident and citizen in Qatar is required to have one, including children. It just goes to show that the national ID card is very important for anyone living in the country.

[Tip] Find Out What Your Qatari ID Number Means

The Qatar ID card allows holders access to a number of government regulated services such as applying for driving licences, opening bank accounts, as well as to gain admission to licensed premises. These ID cards are ‘smart card’ style, which enables the user to access a number of official online services, such as driving licence renewal, and also access the e-Gate system at Doha airport, which allows card holders to bypass the queues at immigration.

Given its importance to the residents of the country, did you ever wonder what the number in your ID card means?

In this short post, we will briefly discuss what the number means and how to read it accordingly.

As an overview, those numbers correspond to specific information about the holder, which allows government officials to determine their age and nationality, just by looking at their Qatar ID card.

Here’s a step-by-step explanation on how to read your Qatar ID number, typically referred to as IQAMA in Arabic:

Part 1: The first digit represents a year bracket which corresponds to the year you were born. For example, a “2” would mean that you were born in a year between 1990 to 1999; whereas a “3” would mean you were born in a year from 2000 onward.

Part 2: The second and third digits are the last two digits of your year of birth.

Part 3: The fourth, fifth, and sixth digits represent the ISO country code of where you originated from.

Part 4: The last five digits represent the sequence of the number of people from your country on the same birth year that entered Qatar.

For example, let’s decode the ID number [27612405934]:

Part 1: [2] – The holder is born between 1990 to 1999.

Part 2: [76] The card holder was born in 1976.

Part 3: [124] this number corresponds to the ISO country number of Canada

Part 4: [05934] The holder is the 5,934^th Canadian national born in 1976 to obtain a Qatar residency Permit.

See how useful that is? To illustrate further, you may refer to the guide image below for your reference:

Knowing this piece of information, you can easily determine one’s age and nationality just by looking at the Qatar ID Card, provided that you have access to ISO country codes to verify.

Qatar uses the ISO country code 3166 based on Numeric Country Codes.

ALSO READ: Qatar Do’s and Don’ts

[Labour Law] Workers are Entitled to Two Days Off Every Week in Oman

Working from one place to another exposes us to the differences in work culture and labour codes between countries.

ALSO READ: Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Should Work in Oman

Therefore, it is important for us to get into the details of our employment contract as well as to gain understanding of the labour law that applies in the host country’s workforce to set proper expectations. Whatever is mandated under the Labour Code must be observed by all companies in the country. Any deviation from the law can be questioned or verified with concerned agencies or departments.

Two-Day Weekly Off Mandatory for Workers in Oman

Regarding rest days, the Labour law mandates all employees in the Sultanate of Oman to have at least two consecutive rest days after working continuously for five days.

This provision is based on Article 71 of the Labour Law, as observed by the Ministry of Manpower.

Since 2011, private sector employees in Oman have been enjoying a five-day work week following the amendments to the Labour Law.

However, workers in domestic services such as drivers, maids, cooks and those with similar jobs are excluded from this law. The Labour Law states that the Ministry of Manpower shall issue general guidelines and terms of work related to these categories.

Furthermore, the accumulation of weekly rest periods for not more than eight weeks may be permitted by the minister in respect of certain places of work specified by the minister, if the employer and the employee agree to this in writing.

The law also maintains that the weekly rest, in all cases, shall be payable.

Experts, on the other hand, expressed that employees can be required to work six days per week, granted that this is clearly stipulated in the contract, and that the worker be paid double their daily basic salary for the sixth day, or given an extra day of annual leave in compensation for every sixth day worked.

According to Article 68 of the Labour Code, an employee may not be required to work for more than nine hours a day and a maximum of 45 hours a week with at least half-an-hour breaks for food and rest.

Furthermore, the maximum work hours during Ramadan shall be six hours a day or 30 hours per week for Muslim employees.

The work hours must also be separated by one or more intervals (breaks) for having food and rest, the total of which shall not be less than half an hour.

Workers must not be required to perform continuous work exceeding six hours in a day. However, an employee may be required to work for more hours if the interest of work so dictates provided the total original and extra work hours do not exceed 12 hours a day as recommended by the law.

Also, the employee shall be paid overtime pay equal to his basic salary against the extra work hours plus at least 25 percent for day-time work and 50 percent for night work or allow the employee to work extra hours provided he agrees to it in writing.

As for those working in certain places such as ports, airports, on vessels, ships or aircraft, the law states that the employer and the employee may, after securing the approval of the ministry, agree on payment of a fixed allowance for employees in lieu of the overtime payments, provided an approval is issued by the ministry upon notice.

Disclaimer: The topic discussed in this post was published for information-sharing purposes only. Should you have any specific queries or concerns regarding the Labour Law and/or your employment contract, you may get in touch with an officer from Oman’s Ministry of Manpower via their official website.

ALSO READ: Oman to Introduce Expat Visa Ban for Senior Management Roles

How to Apply for a Spousal Visa in the UAE

The UAE, throughout the years, has seen an immense growth and development in its societal policies and projects. It is for this reason that the country has become one of the best destinations for work and residency among expats.

ALSO READ: [GUIDE] Sponsoring Parents (Residence Visa for Father/Mother) in UAE

And as the government continues to push for better legislation and immigration policies for its residents, expats have always left their doors open to the possibility of bringing their family in the country. However, in order to do so, it’s important that we take note of the process to accomplish this feat.

Guide to Applying for a Spousal Visa in the UAE

There are various types of visa which you can apply for each of your family members from your parents, children, and then your spouse. In this post, we will share the list of requirements, qualifications, and steps you need to undertake to obtain a visa for your spouse (husband/wife) to enter the UAE:

Firstly, let’s take a look at the qualifications for a sponsor to bring their spouse in the country:

Husband Sponsoring His Wife: The sponsor must have a salary of at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 with accommodation allowance from his company).
Wife Sponsoring Her Husband: The wife must be categorized under any of the following professions: doctor, engineer, or teacher. The wife’s salary must also be at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 with accommodation allowance from her company). However, if the woman does not meet all the requirements (i.e. different profession), she may make a petition to the committee. In such cases, the wife’s salary must be at least AED 10,000 (or AED 8,000 with accommodation allowance from her company).

Note: Please be guided, however, that this situation is handled on a case to case basis. What’s important though is to submit all proper documents and requirements in order to get a better chance of having your visa application approved.

Requirements:

Visa Application Form (filled out at the Amer Centre)
Salary Certificate (must be in Arabic)
Marriage Certificate (must be verified by MOFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Tenancy Contract (verified by Ejari)
Latest DEWA Bill
University Diploma of Sponsor (attested)
Photocopy of Sponsor’s Passport
Photocopy of Dependent’s (Spouse) Passport
Cancelled Visa Page of Dependent (if already in the UAE and has previous visa)
Passport Photos of Sponsor

Procedures:

Fill out the Visa Application Form at the Amer Centre.
Submit all requirements at the Amer Centre.
Pay the application and other necessary fees. Upon settling your payment, you will be issued a temporary residence permit (red paper). This permit, as it is only temporary, will expire within a certain time period. During this time, be sure to complete all other requirements for your stay in the country.
Undergo a medical exam. The test will be conducted by a DHA clinic. You just need to provide the documents issued at the Amer Centre and hope that the results of the tests (blood test and chest X-Ray) are all clear. Results are typically released after two business days.
File a Change of Status Application. You can request for the Change of Status and the permanent residence visa stamp at the Amer Centre, as well.
Apply for an Emirates ID. This is also done at the Amer Centre by just paying the service fees needed.
Have your passport stamped with the permanent residence visa. Again, simply settle the required fees for this procedure at the Amer Centre.

Remember, fees for each step may vary from one place to another but at least prepare an average of AED 500 for each procedure listed above. At the minimum, your budget should be around AED 3,000 to 4,000 when getting a spousal visa in the UAE.

ALSO READ: UAE Rolls Out Permanent Residency Status to High-Profile Expats

Malls to Visit in Kuwait

Who said that there aren’t any exciting places to visit or hang out in Kuwait? If one of your friends or family members did, they sure aren’t fans of shopping and nice malls!

ALSO READ: Celebrating Eid in Kuwait

Because in Kuwait, there are several exciting shopping malls you can go to for your weekend fun or for your retail therapy. The Middle East is actually famous for having some of the biggest and most luxurious shopping places as well as traditional public markets (souqs) where you can find a variety of traditional and modern products unique in the region.

Where to Go Shopping in Kuwait

Here are some of the top shopping malls in Kuwait:

Al Fanar Shopping Mall

This three-storey shopping complex near Salmia Al-Muharak Street in Salmia boasts of fine architecture – relaxing and refreshing, and just as interesting as the selections offered by some of the trendiest boutique shops including Gucci, Godiva, Claire’s, B&O, Marie Claire and River Island, MAC, and Tiffany, among others.

Google Location Map:

Al Hamra Tower Mall

Cruising in downtown Kuwait? Why don’t you cool down in this posh shopping spot located within a 1,353-ft high skyscraper, the Al-Hamra Tower. The 250,000 sq. ft. of commercial and retail space is home to a number of high-end labels such as Hermes, Vera Wang, and the Versace Café, among others.

Google Location Map:

Kuwait Magic Mall

Located in the small town of Abu Halifa, nearby the sandy beaches of Fahaheel District, the Kuwait Magic Mall brings a modern touch to the area with a fusion of style and elegance through its wide array of dining, retail, as well as entertainment options for guests to enjoy.

Google Location Map:

The Avenues Mall

Arguably touted as one of the biggest malls, if not the biggest in the country, the Avenues is home to at least 850 stores and unique services spread out in seven districts, which attract a number of locals and tourists in the area. The mall, which has been divided in four phases, opened back in 2007, and had the latest improvements in 2018.

Google Location Map:

Al Muhallab Mall

Going to the mall can be an exciting experience in itself, especially if you’re going to one shaped liked the Titanic. The mall has everything shoppers may need, from quality retail products and exquisite dining options, to family-centred activities and exclusive fun events.

Google Location Map:

Gold Souk

Travellers visiting Kuwait for the first time should not miss out the chance to pay a visit at the Gold Souk where they can purchase high-quality and exquisite gold products which they can haggle for a good price. Other than gold crafts, visitors can also pick from a selection of other precious metals such as diamonds, platinum, and sometimes even silver.

Google Location Map:

Shopping in Kuwait is one of the most ideal experiences for those who intend to collect the finest and top of the line products for less (only because these items are all tax-free)!

ALSO READ: 6 Things to Know when Visiting the Middle East

Employment Contracts in the UAE

For those curious about working in the UAE, it pays to know about employment contracts as these are some of the first things that you will have to deal with even before you begin your actual work in the country.

ALSO READ: 9 Things to Know Before Accepting a Job Offer in the UAE

Understanding your contract’s provisions, terms, and benefits can help you enjoy a stable and fulfilling job experience in the country. Therefore, it is a must for all jobseekers to thoroughly read and understand their contracts, especially since job offers in the UAE usually last for up to 3 years for full-time employees.

What You Need to Know About Employment Contracts in UAE

To clarify some (if not all) grey lines regarding employment contracts in the UAE, we will share with you some basic information that you need to know as you begin your journey working in the UAE.

As in anywhere the world, job openings are classified as either in the public or private sector. Do note that each has its own sub-categories of employment contracts:

Public Sector Jobs

Employment contracts in this sector are authorized by Cabinet Decision No. 13 of 2012, in relation to the Executive Rules for Decree under Law No. 11 of 2008. As per Articles 9 to 16 of the decision, the different types of contracts in the public sector include:

Full-Time Employment Contract. In this type of contact, the employee puts in full working days or hours, wherein the employee receives their total salary, allowances, and benefits that come with the job.
Part-Time Employment Contract. The employee under this type of contract only puts in limited hours per working day. They receive their salary, allowances, and benefits based on the number of hours they put in at work.
Temporary Contract. Under this type of contract, the employee puts in full working days or hours for three months, and receives the corresponding salary and allowances for their work, as determined by the contract. The contract may be renewed (extended) for a similar amount of time.
Special Contract. A minister may appoint an employee for a high-profile position in the ministry or an agency. The salary and allowances to be provided are determined based on the ministry’s budget and needs. However, these benefits should not exceed the maximum amount set by the Ministry of Finance, as approved by the Cabinet. This type of contract is valid for up to two years, renewable for the up to the same amount of time.

Private Sector Jobs

As per UAE Labour Law No. 8 of 1980, the two types of private sector employment contacts are:

Limited (Fixed-term) Contract. This type of contract is binds the employee under a specific employment period, as determined by a start and end date. This type of contract typically lasts for 2 to 3 years, which may be renewed, depending on the employer’s need for certain services. The contract also includes a notice of termination.

Unlimited Term Contract. In contrast to the fixed contract, this type of contract does not bind an employee under a specific period of employment. Either the employee or employer may terminate the contract, provided that a written notice is submitted between one to three months prior to termination of the contract and that both parties follow proper procedures. Otherwise, the erring party could be held liable to the law.

ALSO READ: UAE Gov’t to Offer Special Residency Visas for Entrepreneurs

Disclaimer: This article was written for the purpose of information-sharing only. If you have specific concerns and inquiries regarding your employment contract, you may visit the Ministry of Human Resource & Emiratisation (MoHRE) website.

Important Hotlines and Contact Numbers in Bahrain

For those who are new to the Kingdom of Bahrain, it’s important to take note of agencies and local offices which you can contact in case there is an emergency or if you may be in need of certain kinds of help or services.

ALSO READ: [Guide] What You Need to Know About Working in Bahrain

While Bahrain is just a small country, the Kingdom is steadily persevering to ensure that all of its residents, a wide majority of which are foreign nationals, get to enjoy services and social benefits with the aim of “leaving no one behind.” In essence, Bahrain is among the top destinations for work among expats because of the quality of life and benefits they get to enjoy living here.

Contact Numbers to Call for Emergencies in Bahrain

But for those who are just starting out their life in the kingdom, it’s good to pay attention to some of the basic information that you’ll need based on your situation as an expat or tourist in the country. For starters, below is a list of contact information you can access depending on the services and need that you may have for them:

EMERGENCY HOTLINES

Fire accidents – 997
Medical emergencies – 998
Legal or police situations – 999
Road accidents or traffic emergencies – 199

DIRECTORATES

Coast Guard – 1770 0000
Customs Affairs – 1735 9999
General Directorate of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security – 1774 9397
General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science – 1771 2718
General Directorate of Traffic – 1787 2287
Juvenile Care Centre – 1768 1043
Ministry of Interior – 1757 2222
Nationality, Passports, and Residence Affairs – 1753 0902
Women Police – 1787 0302

POLICE STATIONS

Airport Police Directorate – 1733 0515
Budaiya Police Station – 1769 9933
Busaiteen Police Station – 1732 0045
Capital Governorate Police Station – 1729 1555
East Riffa Police Station – 1777 3158
Exhibition Road Police Station – 1755 0629
Hala Police Station – 1733 7000
Hawak Police Station – 1784 9009
Hidd Police Station – 1767 1212
Hoora Police Station – 1729 1555
King Fahad Causeway Police Directorate – 1779 6555
Muharraq Governorate Police Station – 1739 0185
Northern Governorate Police Station – 1740 3111
Northern Hamad Town Police Station – 1741 8444
Nuaim Police Station – 1725 8210
Samaheej Police Station – 1733 4401
Southern Governorate Police Station – 1766 4606
Southern Hamad Town Police Station – 1743 0300
Um Al Hassam Police Station – 1772 8229
West Riffa Police Station – 1766 4606
Zallaq Police Station – 1763 1211

HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD-RELATED NUMBERS

Household Emergencies – 8000 1810
Electricity and Water Supply Repairs – 1751 5555

And because no one can tell where and when accidents or emergencies can happen, preparation is crucial for a safe and enjoyable stay anywhere. As a tip, make sure to highlight the information relevant to your location and needs, and keep this list somewhere accessible such as next to your landline, or somewhere it can be easily seen such as your work area or kitchen (right on the fridge). And even if we hope that nothing out of the ordinary or extreme happens to us, it will only be wishful thinking if we don’t do anything about it (or at least be ready in case it happens to us or to anyone we know that we can easily help out had we been extra prepared).

As a final tip, include the contact details of your home embassy in the country in the list for specific inquiries and types of services that you may need while staying overseas.

ALSO READ: Where to Go Shopping in Bahrain

[Guide] Cancelling a Residence Visa in UAE

For those who are planning or have already worked in the UAE, you would know that one of the basic documents that you need to obtain is a residence visa. This document is also issued to a family member or dependent, which a UAE resident (expat) must sponsor or apply for. This type of visa is valid for two to three years, and is renewable for as long as the sponsor is able to work in the country.

ALSO READ: UAE Gov’t to Offer Special Residency Visas for Entrepreneurs

However, for those who have no intentions of working or staying in the country any longer, they will be required to officially cancel their residence visa. In practice, this is usually done by the resident’s employer or sponsor, but if you’re going through this process anyway, it’s also a good thing to understand how the process is being carried out.

An Expat’s Guide to Residence Visa Cancellation in UAE

In this post we will share some tips and the basic guidelines on what you need to provide or do to facilitate the cancellation of your residence visa. Here’s how:

As mentioned, the employer or the sponsor typically handles this process. They start by filing cancellation papers for the worker’s labour contract and labour card at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). For this process, the employee will be asked to sign the application documents.

Also, the employee or sponsor will also file for the cancellation of the employee’s work permit. This basically involves submitting a letter indicating that the employee has been given all his/her wages and end-of-service (gratuity) pay. Similarly, this will require the employee’s signature for confirmation.

The employer will then have to proceed to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), which will process the visa cancellation of the foreign resident. Ideally, this procedure should be carried out by the same GDRFA office that stamped the residence visa at the start.

Meanwhile, for those with dependents – a sponsored parent, spouse, or children – they will need to first cancel their dependents’ visa/s before cancelling their own.

Requirements:

Cancellation form signed by the sponsor
Original passport of the sponsored applicant
Original identity card of the sponsored applicant

Note: If the sponsor is a company, the form should be signed and sealed bearing the company stamp. Also, the clearance certificate of the company issued by MoHRE should be attached, as well.

If the sponsored person is currently based outside of the UAE, the sponsor may present the original passport or a computerized extract of the applicant’s residence visa, which may be requested from the Naturalisation and Residency Department.

Procedures:

1^st Method: Amer Centres – The sponsor goes to any Amer Centre in the city, which will file the cancellation form and process it online through the respective GDFRA.

2^nd Method: Online – The sponsor can directly file the visa cancellation online via the respective GDFRA or Ministry of Interior platform. For example, those based in Dubai can file their application through the GDFRA Dubai website.

Duration and Cancellation Charges

Once all the necessary documents are provided, the process could be completed for up to a day or less. The fee for residence visa cancellation is AED 110.

Final Note:

After your residence visa has been officially cancelled, you will be given a 30-day grace period to exit the country or reapply for another residence visa (in case you change your mind). During this process, do note that your Emirates Identity Card will also be cancelled and should be surrendered to respective authorities.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article was published for the purpose of information-sharing only. To know more about the latest updates, procedures, and fees in cancelling residence visas, you may visit the official website of the Ministry of Interior or GDRFA Dubai.

ALSO READ: [GUIDE] Sponsoring Parents (Residence Visa for Father/Mother) in UAE

Here’s Why Water is Halal-Certified in Some Countries

If you’ve been to any Arab or an Islamic country, one of the first things you’d notice in most (if not all) of their consumable products is the halal certification logo. This logo is important for Muslims because this assures them that the food or drink they will consume does not, in any way, violate the laws of their faith.

ALSO READ: What is Halal and its Significance to Muslims?

However, the question whether products such as Oreo cookies and other sweetened drinks are halal or haram is so important for Muslims that the debate has now spilled over to something more basic: water – plain drinking water. But don’t take this at face value, because the question bears weight for Muslims – here’s why…

Does Water Need to be Halal-Certified?

Recently, a Twitter user asked a top bottled water company if its water was halal-certified and the answer was ‘no’. The discussion continued with questions such as “How can water not be halal?” and comments like “Not that water is halal or haram because water is water”, as shared in a report by the Khaleej Times.

But objectively speaking, because some countries do require their bottled water to be halal-certified, the issue does not lie with the product anymore but in the process it goes through, also known as filtration.

And while the UAE is not among those countries, some of the carbonated drinks produced and distributed in the country have been halal-certified.

The issue is quite relevant, too, because halal is more than just ensuring the specific manner of slaughtering animals for meat consumption, avoiding pork and bovine-based products, and abstaining from drinking alcohol.

The halal market has now become a a multiple-trillion-dollar global industry across multiple clusters, including cosmetics, halal tourism, modest fashion, Islamic finances, pharmaceuticals and more.

So, why is there a need to certify water? According to Dr. Sirajuddin Suhaimee, director of the Department of Islamic Development’s Halal Hub Division in Malaysia, the world’s biggest halal certification body, the certification is for the process and not for the product.

He explained that the best water filters are made of pig bones. Water filtration units utilize products that are not halal, so before a product is issued a certificate, all of these have to be inspected.

In the UAE, the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) has a special Emirati system for the control of products with the ‘halal’ mark.

The body has some 34 food and beverage products, including some carbonated drinks, registered under its Halal certification, but water is not on the list. However, a number of halal certification bodies from all over the world are registered and recognised by the UAE.

According to core Islamic principles and teachings, halal is an Arabic word that means ‘permissible’ or ‘according to religious law.’ Those who have the need to consider these things in their lifestyle will do best to check out products for the halal certificate issued by a standard governing body in their place of residence to be sure about these things.

ALSO READ: 6 Things to Know when Visiting the Middle East

Terminating a Marriage Contract in Kuwait

For many imaginable reasons, married couples don’t always end up “happily ever after.” Sometimes they do, but it takes a lot of work… more than you can ever imagine. However, in the event that married individuals decide against keeping their vows legally binding, and in effect, they will have to refer to the law prior to ending things once and for all.

ALSO READ: [Guide] Applying for a Temporary Residence Visa Extension in Kuwait

And since the law varies from one country to another, it pays for every citizen and foreign resident to understand what their country’s laws have to say about their circumstances. Do note, that in many other cases, individuals are fully aware about what the law maintains regarding certain types of union and marriages, by which they can use to their advantage as citizens of that state. And that’s an entirely different topic altogether.

Steps for Terminating a Marriage Contract in Kuwait

But for those living in the rather conservative Middle, East which includes countries such as Kuwait, residents will not only have to base their decisions and proceedings to the rule of the land, but also on religious laws observed in society.

And since Kuwait is an Islamic nation, terminating a marriage contract between a Kuwaiti and a non-Kuwaiti will have to be dealt with utmost care and planning to ensure that all angles have been fully considered.

It is for this reason that couples are advised to get legal counsel to assist them with this process, but once everything has been sorted out and agreed upon amicably, both parties will be required to prepare certain documents and carry out necessary steps to pursue the decision to terminate a marriage contract.

Requirements:

Civil ID or nationality of the Kuwaiti applicant
Civil ID or valid passport of the non-Kuwaiti resident applicant
For illegal residents: a letter from the Executive Committee as well as personal identification will be required of the applicant.
For widow applicants or those whose guardian is deceased: a document to support the determination of heirs will be required.
If the husband is a student, dealer, retired, or unemployed: a letter from the Public Institution for Social Security.
A certificate of divorce for the divorcee
If the husband is serving the military, a marriage permit from his superior must be presented.
A Special Power of Attorney

Procedures:

Visit the Authentication Office located at the Ahmadi Court Complex or Riggai Court Complex and submit all the applicable above-listed requirements.
Fill out the service application form, which will be provided on-site.
Pay the application service fee worth KD 7, as well as the fee for the visiting court representative (KD 6) and other fixed fees (KD 1).

As in any other place in the world, the process for terminating a marriage or filing for divorce can take up a significant amount of time to be accomplished, based on the surrounding circumstances leading to this purpose. If there is domestic violence and the children are involved, the judge will typically refer the case to professionals for counselling first. However, in the event that both parties refuse to seek counselling, both will be required to sign a document in order to bring the case to court, and only then will the legal proceedings begin.

ALSO READ: Celebrating Eid in Kuwait