Approved Personal Status Forms in Saudi Arabia
We provide you with a simplified guide to understanding and using the approved personal status forms, including: marriage, divorce, alimony, custody and inheritance.
For precise legal drafting, you can request a legal consultation now.
What Are Personal Status Forms?
Personal status forms are legal forms used in judicial or administrative procedures relating to family affairs. They are issued by official bodies such as the Ministry of Justice and the Civil Status Agency, and represent a first organizing step in cases such as marriage, divorce, custody, alimony, or inventorying heirs.
When Are These Forms Used?
Personal status forms vary according to the type of family relationship or dispute, and are used to document rights or claim them before the competent bodies, whether in a judicial or administrative context. Below are the most prominent situations that call for using personal status forms:
Saudi Marriage Form
This form is used to register a marriage contract between citizens or, where a Saudi marries a foreigner, officially with the court or the Civil Status, and to document the marital relationship in government records.
Sharia Divorce Form
Used to document a divorce issued by the husband or by a judicial ruling, and it is also used in filing an annulment of marriage lawsuit with the competent court when the Sharia and statutory reasons are met.
Alimony Request Form
This form is submitted when one of the parties (often the wife or the custodian) wishes to claim monthly alimony including food, clothing and housing, whether spousal alimony or child alimony after divorce.
Custody Establishment Form
Used to submit an official request to the competent court to establish entitlement to custody, whether for the mother, the father or others, and is used when there is a dispute over who is more entitled to care for the child.
Heirs Inventory Form
This form is used to identify the Sharia heirs after the death of a family member, and is submitted to the General Court to issue an official heirs inventory deed that shows the names of the heirs and their shares.
Marriage Event Registration or Divorce Notification Form
Used to update marital status data with the Civil Status, whether when registering a new marriage contract or reporting a divorce that took place officially before the court or outside it.
Identity Data Amendment Form or Family Record Issuance Request
Used to submit a request to the Civil Status to amend personal identity data (such as marital status), or to obtain the family record after marriage, divorce or birth.
Not sure which form suits your case?
Every family situation has its details, and more than one form may overlap in your situation. Request guidance suited to your case now.
What Are the Most Commonly Used Personal Status Forms?
Personal status forms are used in most procedures related to family relationships, and a number of them are among the most widely circulated in courts and administrative bodies, due to their direct link to common situations in society, such as
- Family: organizing family relationships and rights at its various stages.
- Marriage: registering the marriage contract, or proving an existing marriage.
- Divorce: filing a divorce statement of claim form or an official divorce notification.
- Alimony: submitting an alimony lawsuit form to claim spousal or child alimony.
- Custody: filing a custody lawsuit form to determine or transfer custody.
- Inheritance: using an heirs inventory form to establish the Sharia heirs after death.
The list also includes: a marriage proof request form, which is one of the essential forms for documenting an unregistered marital relationship.
Elements of the Form
Personal status forms mostly rely on common basic elements, which form the statutory structure of any request submitted before judicial or administrative bodies, and they include the following:
Personal data
Such as full name, national ID or residence number, national address, and means of contact.
The other party's details
Full name, legal capacity (husband, wife, father, mother, children), and ID number if any.
The facts
A brief and sequential presentation of the event subject of the request, mentioning the important dates and relevant circumstances.
The requests
Specifying what is wanted from the competent body clearly and directly, according to the approved statutory wording.
Guidance Form: Alimony Lawsuit
The following is a simplified guidance form that shows the general shape of a statement of claim in an alimony case, and is used for educational purposes to understand how to arrange the data and draft the requests before official filing.
Claimant (female) details
Full name: (S.M.A)
ID number: (10XXXXXXX)
Address: Riyadh – Al-Naseem District
Mobile number: 05XXXXXXXX
Defendant details
Full name: (M.Kh.H)
ID number: (10XXXXXXX)
Capacity: former husband
The facts
The marriage was concluded between the parties on 01/01/1442 AH, and the divorce took place on 15/10/1444 AH, and there are minor children between the parties.
The claimant has supported the children since the date of the divorce without the defendant committing to the alimony or the necessary expenses.
The requests
The claimant asks the honorable court for the following:
- Obliging the defendant to pay monthly alimony for the children estimated at the amount of (…) riyals.
- Obliging him to pay the overdue alimony since the date of the divorce.
- Charging him with the court fees and expenses.
Declaration and attachments
I declare the validity of what is stated above, and attach the following documents:
- A copy of the marriage contract
- The divorce deed
- The children’s birth certificates
- What proves actual support (if any)
Date: …………..
Signature: …………..
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Status Forms
What are the most requested personal status forms?
The most requested forms relate to establishing or ending family relationships, and include: a marriage proof form, a divorce notification form, an alimony request form, a custody lawsuit form, and an heirs inventory form. All of them are used before judicial or administrative bodies within the Saudi personal status system.
How do I get personal status forms in PDF format?
Some Ministry of Justice forms or the Civil Status forms of the Ministry of Interior can be downloaded directly from the official bodies such as the Ministry of Justice or the Civil Status Agency, while sites such as the Saudi Legal Consultations Directory provide simplified guidance forms that help you understand and prepare before filing.
Are there personal status forms that are not available online?
Yes, some forms are issued only by the competent bodies such as the forms of the Saudi Ministry of Interior or are given upon request within the body (such as a lineage proof request form or drafting a divorce statement of claim), and are not available in general copies online.
What is the difference between an event registration form and a data amendment form?
Event registration form:
- Used to enter a new event into the official records.
- Examples: registering a marriage – registering a divorce – adding a newborn.
Data amendment form:
- Used to update or correct data that already exists in the system.
- Examples: amending the profession – changing marital status – updating the national address.
These forms are often linked to events such as marriage, inheritance or alimony.
Can I submit personal status forms electronically?
Yes, some bodies such as the Ministry of Justice and Absher provide electronic services that allow requests to be submitted through the official platforms, but the documents must be available and the approved form filled in correctly. Whether it is writing an objection memorandum against a previous decision, or filing a custody lawsuit form via Najiz.
Must all forms be filled in through a lawyer?
Not necessarily, as an individual can fill in the forms themselves if they understand the statutory requirements, but using a lawyer is preferable in complex cases or those that require submitting a statement of claim before the court.
What is the benefit of using a guidance form before filling in the official form?
A guidance form helps you to:
- Understand the general structure of the form: in terms of the order of sections and the required content.
- Prepare to submit the data correctly: which prevents common errors.
- Reduce the likelihood of rejection: when submitting the official form to the competent bodies.
- Avoid the need for later amendment: due to missing or poorly arranged information.
Gaining self-confidence: in dealing with statutory forms before turning to the court or the administrative body.
Do the forms differ between the General Court and the Personal Status Court?
Yes, the forms differ according to the type of case and the body competent for it. For example, custody and divorce cases fall within the personal status courts, while heirs inventory cases may be brought before the General Court depending on the distribution of jurisdiction.
Can the form be printed and filed manually if electronic filing is not possible?
In most cases yes, but for some forms such as an alimony lawsuit form or a divorce statement of claim form, it is required that the form be approved and signed according to the requirements of the body, and an electronic signature or attaching digital documents may be required for some platforms.
Ask your question now or request a general legal consultation via the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the screen and we will help you choose the form that best suits your case.
The content is for legal education purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. To obtain a legal opinion suited to your case, it is preferable to contact a specialized lawyer.
- Built on the Saudi regulations in force.
- Based on official texts issued by approved bodies such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior.
- Provided in an educational guidance format to understand the statutory structure of each form, and are not official forms ready for submission.
- The actual wording of each form depends on the nature of the case and the characterization of the competent court or administrative body.
If you are not sure which form best suits your case, you can request a general legal consultation now via the WhatsApp button