Child Support and Spousal Maintenance
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Bahraini national legislation, decree-laws, and ministerial orders.
Bahraini National Law
What is this right?
Bahrain law requires fathers to support their children and, in many cases, requires husbands or ex-husbands to provide maintenance (nafaqa) to their wives or former wives:
- Child support: The father is legally obligated to provide financial support for his children, including housing, food, education, and medical care. This continues until sons are self-supporting and until daughters marry.
- Spousal maintenance during marriage: A husband must provide adequate maintenance to his wife, including housing, clothing, and living expenses appropriate to their standard of living.
- Maintenance after divorce (idda): The husband must continue paying maintenance during the waiting period (typically 3 months) after divorce.
- Mut'a (consolation payment): Under the 2017 Sunni law, the court may award a lump-sum consolation payment to a divorced wife, considering the length of the marriage and circumstances of the divorce.
- Enforcement: If the obligated party fails to pay, the court can enforce maintenance through wage garnishment, travel bans, or imprisonment.
When does it apply?
- You are a custodial parent and the other parent is not providing child support.
- You are a wife whose husband is not providing adequate maintenance.
- You are a divorced woman seeking maintenance during idda or a consolation payment.
What should you do?
- File a maintenance claim with the Sharia court if your spouse or ex-spouse is not paying.
- Provide evidence of your financial needs and the children's expenses (school fees, medical bills, rent).
- If a court order exists but is not being followed, request enforcement — the court can garnish wages or impose penalties.
- Keep receipts and records of all expenses related to the children.
What should you NOT do?
- Do not accept informal promises — get maintenance amounts confirmed by the court in writing.
- Do not withhold visitation as a response to non-payment — these are separate legal issues.
- Do not delay filing — the longer you wait, the harder it may be to recover past-due amounts.
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