Saturday 04 / July / 2026
Muscat: Oman's Ministry of Health (MoH) has urged couples to ensure their marriage contracts are registered before the expiry of their premarital medical examination certificates, warning that failure to comply could result in fines or imprisonment under the law.
In a public advisory, the ministry stressed the need to comply with the provisions of Royal Decree No. 111/2025, which regulates premarital medical examinations.
The ministry called on couples to complete the documentation of their marriage contracts before their medical certificates expire to avoid legal consequences.
Under Article 4 of the decree, marriage officiants are prohibited from solemnising or registering a marriage unless both parties present a valid premarital medical examination certificate.
Article 5 stipulates penalties for violations, including imprisonment for a period of not less than 10 days and not more than six months, a fine ranging from OMR100 to OMR1,000, or both.
The Ministry of Health urged all concerned to comply with the regulations to ensure marriage procedures are completed in accordance with the law.
The reminder comes as Oman recorded a sharp rise in the number of marriage certificates issued in 2025.
According to the latest official figures, notary public departments across the Sultanate issued 23,117 marriage certificates in 2025, up from 17,896 in 2024 and 14,716 in 2023, reflecting steady growth over the past three years.
Divorce certificates also increased, reaching 4,208 in 2025 compared with 4,122 in 2024 and 3,828 in 2023.
Muscat Governorate recorded the highest number of marriages, with 6,651 marriage certificates issued in 2025, alongside 1,220 divorce certificates.
North Al Batinah ranked second in marriages with 3,753, followed by South Al Batinah with 2,683, Dhofar with 2,462, and Al Dakhiliyah with 2,425.
