Being married, he converted and married another converted expat.

Your course is to contact the Saudi religious affairs department and your own embassy, asking for advice.
A lot of issues could come up,including validity of visas.

good morning..thank you for the response.do you know the site or e mail for saudi religious affairs?

http://www.moia.gov.sa/Eng/Menu/Pages/view.aspx

Hello legalw,

Generally speaking, if the husband and wife were not close relatives "by blood or suckling" which would invalidate a marriage, then your marriage is still valid.

I presume that you were married in the Philippines. If this is the case there is no divorce in the Philippines only Annulment and if your husband has not applied for and received an Annulment (which is very unlikely) then nothing else can disolve that marriage and his legal responsibilities.

Fred has advised you correctly... contact the Saudi Religious Affairs Dept. and your Embassy

You may want to read the followin on the subject:   https://unity1.wordpress.com/2012/01/13 … -to-islam/

Regards,
James
Expat-blog Experts Team

hi,
If you got good contact in Philippines Consulate, they place announcement at their notice boards with details of couple getting married. It contains full name, ID #, age with picture and a deadline is given to claim. Pls contact and report him to your consulate.

hello sir james. thank you for your advice.. yes we married in philippines and our relationship was in good tract not until i found out about his lies..i was cought unarmed.i was surprised about it..his marriage with this woman ruined our happy family..what i wanted to know now is how i can protect my son and keep him legitimate with all his rights as well as mine as remained his legal wife.thank you for your concern and for you fred..will there be any additional thoughts or advice you can give me, i'd be  very happy to receive as i am in turmoil and depression is killing me..

it happened i think last year and i wasnt aware..can i still report it?

ehtesham,

i cant find the wedding announcement with my husbands name..is it just possible for them to live together here in the kingdom without certificate from the embassy? i'm sure he cannot get married easily as we are registered under national statistics office in philippines and the certificate with red ribbon is with me all the time as well as its arabic translation..

Dear,

I don't think you can sue him or pressurize him if he is living in Saudi Arabia, been converted to Islam and married a Muslim woman. There is no clause in Islam that restricts him from doing so.

According to Philippine's law, you should be still married to him and that is your only strong point. However, I still suggest you to take lawyer's advice as well as one from some Islamic Scholar. He can be in trouble inside Saudi Arabia only if he has violated any Islamic rule. Please ask that scholar about your current status, yours and yours son rights according to Islam after him being converted.

My 2 cents...

And regarding living together. If they are married following the laws of Saudi Arabia, nothing prohibits them from living together.

List of Foreign embassies and consulates
daleeli.com/en/embassies.html

Hi

If he doesn't have a marriage certificate with the new wife from the Saudi authorities then he is not legally married, and they might fall in trouble because of that, Legally by the Saudi Law, you are still his wife even if he married another wife in Saudi Laws as a muslim, and he has to pay living expenses to you and your son even after getting a divorce in the Saudi Law.

Dear Legalw,

Firstly, I would like to express my sympathy to you with your present dilemma and circumstances that distresses and depresses you so much.

I would also like to tell you the following:

1. That your situation is not unique and is in fact very common in Saudi Arabia;

2. That there is no point for you to contact the Saudi Ministry of Religious Affairs. The reason is that this ministry in fact uses such opportunity to convert non-Muslims into Islam.

3.  That the Ministry of Religious Affairs through its many religious education center issue the marriage certificate liberally and without concern if the marrying parties are married in their home country. I attended such a religious center for 3 years to understand Islam but they could not convert me.

4. That many of the Filipino students attend such centers  so they would convert to Islam in no time and they could then marry the new found girlfriend quickly - she too attends such a religious center separately, and once they convert they could get married and live together legally in Saudi Arabia.

5. That you must understand Islam allows a man to take up to four wives (presumably with the first permission of the first wife, then the second and third wife if he intends to marry the fourth wife. This implies that starting with marrying the second wife he should get the consent of the first wife. This is in theory but is seldom (never?) practised or followed.

6.That both of them may hold separate Iqama (residency pwrmit) from different employers. They would not however be allowed for the new wife to come under his sponsorship as a dependant  because the Ministry of Interior Passport Office Office has record that your husband has a wife in the Philippines in your name.

7. That in view of the sheer number of such cases your Embassy in Riyadh will not do.much.

8. That your only recourse is when he returns to the Philippines. You should have a lawyer ready and file a police report for bigamy which is illegal in the Philippines.

9. That there is not much you can do in the meantime; especially if he continues to send money back to you and to support your son - I hope he will continue to funancially supoort you.

Good luck.

paulym51 wrote:

Dear Legalw,

.....
8. That your only recourse is when he returns to the Philippines. You should have a lawyer ready and file a police report for bigamy which is illegal in the Philippines.

Good luck.

Bigamy is an offense punishable by the PH Penal Code (criminal law), only applies if the crime happened in the Philippines. Bigamy did not happen in the Philippines. Crimes committed by Philippine citizens in other countries will not prosper or not accepted in Philippine courts. 

As per your Family Law, you are still a legal wife of your husband, and since legal, your husband must continue supporting his family in the Philippines.

If he stops supporting you, then you can file for Violence Against Women and Children for the case of Abandonment, Emotional and Psychological violence and violation of the provision in the Family code  that is 'husband will provide economic support to his family'. You can also file a Civil case against your husband. Ask advice from a private lawyer or public attorneys in your Hall of Justice offices.

Get advice from your lawyer. Visit the Foreign Affairs in your area. Visit Social Welfare department. Your complaints must be sign by you and your lawyer.

You can not hold an individual liable for crime if he changed his Religion.

mannyd wrote:

Bigamy is an offense punishable by the PH Penal Code (criminal law), only applies if the crime happened in the Philippines.

Yes, should the husband return to the Philippines unaccompanied at some point in the future that may well be correct and it would be unlikely he could be charged. However should he return accompanied by the new wife then it is automatically a "crime committed in the Philippines".

At any rate, it appears that everybody here is really more concerned about assisting the OP with suggestions on how to exact some kind of revenge against an errant husband (and possibly force him to come back to her). I can't figure out for the life of me why somebody would want that anyway. 

Shouldn't we be looking for constructive suggestions as to how she can take care of her physical and financial needs instead???

Just a thought!

Cheers,
James     Expat-blog Experts Team

James, you are right that we assist by providing constructive opinions/suggestions but also advices if she pushes to the direction of using the law to settle something for her and her family (children).

To the OP, seek advice from a lawyer. The lawyer may suggest different options i.e. criminal or civil case or a proper settlement out of court. Most of all prepare yourself to accept the fact that sooner you will be sole breadwinner for your family, and that means you must work to bring food and happiness to your family, make yourself healthy i.e. physically, emotionally, spiritually etc. Set goals for you and your child/children.

Hi James. I'm new here. I wat to ask something. Hiw can i PM you. Thanks

Doroteo23 wrote:

Hi James. I'm new here. I wat to ask something. Hiw can i PM you. Thanks

I, with some sadness, should inform you James will be unable to answer a PM as he passed away some while ago.
He keeps his forum status as a mark of respect to a man who helped so many people.