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As an unmarried adult Egyptian woman living abroad with a valid Egyptian passport, can my father/brother/... stop me, by law, from leaving Egypt after a visit there?

I know I don't need to show a permission by a male guardian at the airport to leave Egypt (unlike, say, women from Saudi Arabia), so by default I am allowed to leave the country, but what if my father/brother/... gets active to prevent that?

Nate Eldredge
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J. Dough
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  • Are you over 21 years old? – mkennedy Aug 09 '18 at 18:56
  • @mkennedy Yes I am older than 21 –  Aug 09 '18 at 19:05
  • What does Egyptian law say? – Giorgio Aug 09 '18 at 21:22
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    This seems like it would be a more appropriate question for [law.se]. – Michael Hampton Aug 09 '18 at 21:48
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    Please stay safe! – gerrit Aug 10 '18 at 10:02
  • @MichaelHampton Can it be moved there? (By who?) Or should I repost it there? –  Aug 10 '18 at 13:49
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    This is a good question to be considering now and will take some research, but I'll try to see if I can find some answers. One particular complication is that the see-saw regimes changes in Egypt over the last several years in ways that might cause the issue to be treated differently, means that even resources from the 90s and the aughts are far too unreliable to trust at this point without more recent confirmation, and even information from within the last decade, but not the last few years, needs to be viewed with a grain of salt. – ohwilleke Aug 11 '18 at 05:31
  • @ohwilleke I'm glad you understand it is not as simple as it sounds to just figure out 'What does Egpytian law say'. Thanks in advance for your help – J. Dough Aug 11 '18 at 11:32
  • Are you a national of another country? – Paul Johnson Dec 16 '18 at 14:56
  • Wow! I'm not sure this question can find a home. Perhaps ask on IPS? – Josiah Yoder Aug 01 '19 at 17:04

1 Answers1

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Given the nature of the question, I would add that in addition to any counsel from any lawyer, that these questions are given careful thought & consideration. You must make the decision as to whether or not to visit and must live with the risk & (potentially severe) consequences. Is it wise to rely on the law to protect you from hostiles?

IMHO based on the question, I suspect you are concerned that you will be held against your will in Egypt. If this is true, then there are other higher priority questions that should be posed:

  • Is there law / practice / precedent that could cause detainment?
  • Does the male relative have the positional authority to detain (policeman etc.)?
  • Is the benefit of a visit worth the risk?
  • What alternatives are available to visit: can you meet family in another country?
  • What risk mitigation can be engaged to prevent detainment?

I am sure that there are other good questions that I have not listed. I hope this helps to make a good decision and avoid a bad outcome.

gatorback
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    I'm so very tempted to upvote this answer, because it speaks to common reason. Alas, it is not founded in law, so I cannot :( – Dan Rayson Nov 25 '18 at 14:17
  • Perhaps encourage asking the question on IPS? Oh dear, from the comments, it appears the question was migrated here! – Josiah Yoder Aug 01 '19 at 17:02
  • I must also comment that if LEGAL advice does apply in this case, you SHOULD seek a lawyer! "Law Stack Exchange is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized advice from a qualified legal practitioner. Communications on Law Stack Exchange are not privileged communications and do not create an attorney-client relationship." – Josiah Yoder Aug 01 '19 at 17:06
  • I would add that lawyers are not infallible and can only advise: the OP must make her decision. If the lawyer were to advise it is reasonable or safe, said questions become critical (because the lawyer could be wrong), If the lawyer were to advise not to go then said questions become less relevant. The rule of law is not always enforced like one would like or think. – gatorback Aug 01 '19 at 17:12