In short: Egypt's "new family law" is a draft unified personal-status bill still under study, not yet enacted. Today, family matters are still governed by the existing laws (No. 25 of 1920, No. 25 of 1929, No. 100 of 1985, the Procedure Law No. 1 of 2000, and the Family Courts Law No. 10 of 2004). The bill aims to bring these scattered laws together in a single text, and provisions on marriage, divorce, custody, guardianship and support have been discussed within it. This is general information for educational purposes, not legal advice, and everything about the bill is pending the final text and its publication in the Official Gazette.
What is the "new family law," and has it actually been enacted?
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The "new family law" is the common name for a draft unified personal-status law the state has been working on for years. The important thing first: so far, it's a bill under study and discussion, not yet finally passed or published in the Official Gazette. Any news about the law being "passed," or about specific provisions in it, should be treated with caution until the official text is published. Until it's enacted, the rules that apply to your marriage, divorce and custody of your children are the existing laws, not the draft.
The reason it keeps coming up is simple: Egypt's family laws are old and fragmented, some dating to the 1920s. The idea of a unified law is to bring them together in a clearer text, which would be simpler for judges, lawyers and ordinary citizens. But because the subject touches marriage, divorce and custody, discussion of it is sensitive and prolonged, and several drafts have been put forward, some sent back for revision.
Which laws govern family matters in Egypt today?
Until the unified law is enacted, a set of laws applies, each with its own role: Law No. 25 of 1920 and Law No. 25 of 1929 (and their amendments) govern marriage, divorce and support; Law No. 100 of 1985 amended aspects of personal-status law, including custody provisions and the custodian's residence; Law No. 1 of 2000 governs court procedure in family matters and introduced "khul divorce"; and Law No. 10 of 2004 created the Family Courts and linked them to settlement offices. Non-Muslims have their own laws on marriage and divorce within the limits of the law.
This fragmentation is exactly the problem the unified bill aims to solve: instead of working across four or five laws and their amendments, you'd have a single text. Until then, every family matter is decided under the laws above, before the Family Courts.
What has the draft discussed changing?
Based on the drafts and summaries circulating in the press and among law firms (and everyone is waiting for the final text), the discussions have centered on several points of interest to ordinary families:
- Documenting marriage and divorce: tightening the rules on official documentation, and discussion of notifying the wife of the divorce so it doesn't happen without her knowledge.
- Custody and the order of those entitled to it: one of the most contentious points; changing the order of custodians and the father's place in it has been discussed, and it's the subject of broad public debate.
- Guardianship over person and property: rules on education, travel and major decisions concerning children.
- Support and making it easier to collect: faster mechanisms for recovering support through the competent authorities, to avoid disadvantaging mothers and children.
- The marriage age and protecting minors, along with regulating visitation for the non-custodial parent.
We stress: these are discussion points, not final text. Much of the wording has changed between one draft and the next, and clauses have been withdrawn and reintroduced. Don't make a decision based on a specific detail before the law is enacted.
What's in force today compared with what the draft proposes
| Question | Today's law | What the draft proposes (not final) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scattered laws (1920, 1929, 100/1985, 1/2000) | A single, unified Personal Status Law |
| Talaq and notifying the wife | Talaq takes effect and is registered, under existing notification rules | Discussion of stronger notification to the wife and more precise registration |
| Custody | An order of custodians set by existing law | Discussion of reordering that priority and the father's position |
| Support | Enforced through court and collection agencies | Proposed mechanisms to speed up collection |
| Legislative status | In force and applied | Draft under study, not enacted |
What does this mean for you in practice?
If you're marrying, divorcing, or in a custody dispute now, don't wait for a law that hasn't been enacted. Your rights today are assessed under the existing laws, and any case is judged accordingly. Follow only official news (the Official Gazette and government announcements), not social-media rumors. If the law is eventually enacted, it's standard for it to set an effective date and transitional rules clarifying the fate of pending cases; consult a lawyer then.
Practical rule: distinguish between what's in force now (what you rely on) and what's a bill under discussion (what you follow, but don't base a decision on).
Where HAQQ Legal AI helps
Disclosure: we build HAQQ Legal AI. You can ask: which law applies to my situation today? How is my support or custody of my children calculated under the existing rules? And what's the difference between what's in force and what's still a draft? HAQQ gives you a structured explanation that helps you understand and prepare. Then verify any major decision with a licensed lawyer in Egypt.
Download the HAQQ Legal AI app free on iPhone and Android, with native Arabic support and correct right-to-left display. HAQQ isn't a law firm and doesn't provide legal representation; always consult a licensed lawyer for final decisions.
Legal notice and sources: this article is for general information and isn't legal advice. The "new family law" is a bill that hasn't been passed yet, and everything related to it remains non-binding until published in the Official Gazette. Verify with a licensed lawyer in Egypt before any decision. Today's basis: Laws 25/1920, 25/1929, 100/1985, 1/2000, 10/2004 and their amendments.
