Egypt's New Family Law: What Changes, Its Status, and What It Means for Families
Egypt's "new family law" is a draft unified personal-status bill still under study, not yet enacted. What today's laws say, what the draft would change, and what it means for you, in plain Arabic.
What is the "new family law," and has it actually been enacted?
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.
FAQ
Has Egypt's new family law been enacted?
No. It remains a draft unified personal-status bill under study; it has not been passed or published in the Official Gazette. Family matters today are still governed by the existing laws (25/1920, 25/1929, 100/1985, 1/2000, 10/2004).
Which laws govern divorce and custody in Egypt right now?
A patchwork applied by the family courts: Laws 25/1920 and 25/1929 on marriage, divorce and maintenance; Law 100/1985 on parts of custody; Law 1/2000 on procedure and khul; and Law 10/2004 on the family courts.
What did the draft unified law propose to change?
Debate centered on documenting marriage and divorce and notifying the wife, the order of custody and the father's place in it, guardianship over children, and faster collection of maintenance. These were discussion points, not final text, and changed between drafts.
Should I wait for the new law before filing my case?
No. Your rights today are measured by the laws in force, and any case is decided under them. If the law is later enacted, it will usually set its own effective date and transitional rules; review your situation then with a lawyer.