CAIRO, July 10 (MENA) - Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli inaugurated on Thursday the new headquarters of the Foreigners’ Services Office (covering marriage and property ownership) in the New Administrative Capital.

The move is part of Egypt’s broader efforts to modernize services provided to foreigners and streamline their procedures through an integrated, advanced infrastructure.

The office was relocated from its former site in Lazoghly, Cairo, a location that experienced heavy congestion and logistical challenges, to its new state-of-the-art premises in Residential District R3.

The relocation marks a significant leap reflecting institutional development at the Ministry of Justice, notably through an improved working environment and enhanced service quality.

Minister of Housing Sherif el Sherbini said the new office was constructed to the highest standards to deliver outstanding services, complementing the ministry’s broader efforts to provide diverse facilities in new cities in coordination with other service ministries.

During his tour, Madbouli received a briefing from Minister of Justice Adnan el Fangari on the new office which includes cutting-edge electronic systems to ensure swift, accurate processing of transactions.

The office facilitates marriage procedures for foreigners and property ownership registrations, and introduces new services such as real-time multilingual translation to aid communication with various nationalities.

Fangari also announced the simultaneous launch of an online inquiry service for foreign marriage requirements by nationality via the Ministry’s platform, enabling applicants to learn in advance about needed documents, cutting down time, reducing repeated visits, and boosting procedural efficiency.

He described the initiative as a pioneering model of digital transformation in justice services, leveraging the infrastructure of the New Administrative Capital in alignment with the Vision of Egypt 2030 to build an efficient, high-performing administrative system.

Madbouli was also briefed on the Foreign Property Ownership Office, which oversees the procedural steps enabling foreigners to register real estate in Egypt.

Fangari explained that all notary offices nationwide have been digitally interconnected, including 16 newly integrated urban registry branches, paving the way for a unified system linking the Real Estate Registration and Notarization Authority with the New Urban Communities Authority.

Regarding the Foreign Marriage Office, he highlighted its role in handling personal status procedures involving at least one foreign party or Christian couples of different sects, covering divorce declarations, official marriage contracts, confirmations, and marriage ratifications. The number of service counters has increased by 60%, from five to eight.

As for the relocation to the New Administrative Capital, he said it aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 objectives of fostering a prosperous, just, and progressive society. It directly aims to offer a modern facility with ample space, nearly tripling in size from 320 to around 917 square meters, and boosting the number of service counters from eight to 14, an increase of 75%, while employing advanced digital tools for data inquiries and targeting remote service delivery.

He added that alongside the move, the ministry increased service outlets and introduced a digital inquiry system, with plans underway to launch remote services for even greater convenience. (MENA)

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