Location: California, United States
Me and my friend are both 18 and we both live in the States, but she was born in Egypt, and has dual citizenship. Today, she told me that her father plans to marry her off to a 27 year old man in about 4 years (not right away, surprisingly). This is bad for obvious reasons. From what I understand arranged marriage is entirely legal in Egypt, but would her American citizenship help in any way? Thanks.
Comments
She’s 18 and in the United States. She can refuse to go to Egypt, and she can refuse to sign a marriage certificate.
Arranged marriage is legal everywhere if both parties agree to it. What isn’t allowed it a marriage where one party doesn’t agree.
If she is in the US and has US citizenship, no one can make her leave or make her marry anyone. Although for her own safety, she probably should go non-contact with her parents or anyone else who knows them, so that they don’t know where she is.
She should not go to Egypt, or travel anywhere internationally with her family even for “vacation.” If she finds herself at an airport being forced to travel, she should tell security, TSA, anyone as loudly as she can that she is being taken against her will.
She’s a US Citizen, and a legal adult, and in the US. She doesn’t have to marry anyone she doesn’t want to, doesn’t have to travel anywhere she doesn’t want to go, and is perfectly free to walk out of her father’s door, right now, and never look back.