A wife in India can claim maintenance from a husband working in Saudi Arabia under section 144 of the BNSS (formerly section 125 CrPC), the Domestic Violence Act or the Hindu Marriage Act, in the court where she lives. The husband can defend through a lawyer and appear by video. Courts assess his Saudi salary from contracts, payslips and remittances, and unpaid orders can be enforced against his Indian property, accounts and, in some cases, his passport.
- Document route
- Saudi notary (including Najiz e-notarisation), then apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or signing at the Indian mission
- Time difference
- IST is 2h30 ahead of Saudi time all year (no daylight saving)
- Summary claim
- BNSS section 144 (old CrPC 125)
- Civil claim
- HAMA 1956, HMA sections 24 and 25
Maintenance & Alimony from Saudi Arabia: how it works
For a husband in Saudi Arabia receiving notice, the first task is to appoint a lawyer and file a reply before the court decides interim maintenance on the wife's figures alone. Gather your employment contract, salary certificate and proof of any housing or food allowance, plus records of money already sent home. Sign a vakalatnama and affidavit of assets and liabilities before a Saudi notary with an apostille, or at the Indian mission. For a wife claiming support, bring evidence of the husband's employer, position and lifestyle.
Courts usually fix interim maintenance early, often within months. Final amounts depend on income, needs, children and the conduct of the parties. If a husband abroad stops paying, the wife can seek attachment of his Indian assets and warrants, and courts have directed impounding or non-renewal of passports in serious defaults. A settlement covering a lump sum, stridhan and children is often the most practical end, and can be recorded as part of a mutual consent divorce.
What clients in Saudi Arabia should know
- Saudi salaries are usually stated with separate housing and transport allowances, and Indian courts often treat these as part of income when fixing maintenance.
- Payments made through Saudi exchange houses should go to an account in the wife's name with a clear narration, so they can be credited against the court order.
- A Saudi court order on maintenance is not executable in India under section 44A, so the Indian court's order is the one that matters for enforcement in India.
Step by step from Saudi Arabia
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Saudi Arabia, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Saudi Arabia
Saudi notary (including Najiz e-notarisation), then apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or signing at the Indian mission
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Saudi Arabia where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Saudi Arabia. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Maintenance & Alimony, or see all services for clients in Saudi Arabia and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Saudi Arabia
Can the court in India attach my salary in Saudi Arabia?
An Indian court cannot directly attach a Saudi salary, but it can attach your Indian property, bank accounts and rental income, and take steps affecting your passport.
My wife filed a domestic violence case. Will I be arrested when I land?
A DV case is civil in nature and does not by itself lead to arrest. If a criminal case such as cruelty has also been filed, take advice on anticipatory bail before travelling.
Can I pay a single lump sum and close the matter?
Yes, by agreement. Courts accept settlements recorded in a decree, and that also protects you from later claims.