Divorce in Egypt: recognition in Germany

For Germans married to an Egyptian. An Egyptian divorce takes effect in Germany only once the state justice administration has recognised it under §107 FamFG, and a German divorce must be registered in Egypt before it counts there.

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Your route, in order

Divorce where one spouse is a foreign national

A confidential session to understand your situation and possible routes
Review of the marriage contract and related papers
Choosing the right procedure and the competent authority
Following the procedure until the final document is issued
Explaining what follows: residency, or legalisation for use outside Egypt

Consultation with the counsellor

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What Germany requires

Under §107 FamFG an Egyptian divorce needs a formal recognition decision (Feststellung) from the state justice administration, in some states the president of the Oberlandesgericht, at a fee of EUR 15 to 305. It is not needed if both spouses were exclusively Egyptian. For a talaq you usually submit the divorce certificate from the maazoun or the state notary office in Cairo or Alexandria, the notarised repudiation or court confirmation, and proof that a revocable talaq became final, legalised by the German Embassy and translated by a translator admitted in Germany.

Embassy in Cairo

German Embassy Cairo (Deutsche Botschaft Kairo)

The embassy does not perform marriages. It issues the Konsularbescheinigung zur Eheschließung for EUR 25, paid in Egyptian pounds in cash, after you email scans to its passport section. Names must appear in Latin and Arabic script, and a spelling mistake means a new certificate at a new fee. The embassy also legalises the Egyptian marriage certificate for use in Germany.

Official website

Problems we see often

Until the Feststellung is issued, the Egyptian divorce has no effect in Germany, so you cannot remarry there on the strength of it.
A revocable talaq is not enough on its own. Keep proof that it became final, or the recognition file is incomplete.
A German divorce does not take effect in Egypt until it is registered with the competent Egyptian authority, so you may still be married there.
Egypt has not joined the Hague Convention on child abduction. The mother has custody until the child is 15, and either parent can obtain a travel ban.

Questions couples ask

What does recognition of an Egyptian divorce cost in Germany?

The state justice administration charges between EUR 15 and 305 for the Feststellung under §107 FamFG. Translation and legalisation costs come on top.

Is our German divorce valid in Egypt?

Only after it has been registered with the competent Egyptian authority. Until then the Egyptian spouse may still be treated as married in Egypt.

Which documents do I need to have a talaq recognised?

Usually the divorce certificate from the maazoun or the state notary office, the notarised repudiation or court confirmation, and proof that the talaq became final. All of it must be legalised by the German Embassy and translated by a translator admitted in Germany.

Official sources

Facts checked by Counsellor Mohamed Ali Oraby on October 28, 2026.

Divorce in Egypt when one spouse is a foreigner

Ending a marriage between two countries raises questions one country’s rules don’t answer alone: which procedure applies, whether you can act from abroad, and what happens to residency and documents afterwards. We start with a confidential session, find the right route and the competent authority, and follow the procedure until the final document is issued.

What this involves: Divorce