Child Support & Spousal Maintenance (Nafaqa) in Saudi Arabia
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from Saudi royal decrees, regulations, and ministerial decisions. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
The Personal Status Law codifies nafaqa (maintenance) obligations that were previously left to individual judges' calculations:
- Spousal maintenance: The husband must provide housing, food, clothing, and medical care during the marriage and during the iddah period after divorce.
- Child support: The father must financially support his children until the son becomes self-supporting and until the daughter marries (or indefinitely if she cannot support herself).
- Amount: The court determines nafaqa based on the father's financial ability and the child's actual needs, considering the family's prior standard of living.
- Mut'a compensation: A wife divorced without cause receives mut'a (consolation payment) in addition to mahr and iddah maintenance — now a codified right, not discretionary.
- Urgent temporary orders: Courts can issue immediate temporary nafaqa orders before the main case is decided — the Family Court processes these urgently.
- Enforcement tools: The Execution Court can order salary deductions, bank account freezes, travel bans, and even imprisonment for fathers who refuse to pay court-ordered nafaqa.
When does it apply?
- You are a wife whose husband is not providing financial support during marriage or after divorce.
- You are a custodial parent and the other parent is not paying child support.
- You are a father seeking to understand your maintenance obligations under the codified law.
What to Do If Your Spouse or Ex-Spouse Is Not Paying Court-Ordered Nafaqa in Saudi Arabia
- File a nafaqa claim through the Family Court via the Najiz portal (najiz.sa) — request an urgent temporary order for immediate support while the case is pending.
- Provide evidence of expenses — rent, school fees, medical bills, food costs, and the family's prior standard of living.
- If the father is not paying court-ordered support, request an enforcement order through the Execution Court via Najiz — the court can garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, or impose a travel ban.
What should you NOT do?
- Do not wait too long to file — you can claim back-dated nafaqa, but current claims are easier to enforce and temporary orders provide immediate relief.
- Do not accept informal verbal promises — get a court order so you have enforcement tools through the Execution Court.
- Do not withhold the child from the other parent as leverage for support payments — custody and nafaqa are separate legal matters, and doing this harms your custody position.
Common Questions
When does it apply — child support & spousal maintenance (nafaqa)?
You are a wife whose husband is not providing financial support during marriage or after divorce.You are a custodial parent and the other parent is not paying child support.You are a father seeking to understand your maintenance obligations under the codified law.
What should I do if my spouse is refusing to pay child support or spousal maintenance in Saudi Arabia?
File a nafaqa claim through the Family Court via the Najiz portal (najiz.sa) — request an urgent temporary order for immediate support while the case is pending.Provide evidence of expenses — rent, school fees, medical bills, food costs, and the family's prior standard of living.If the father is not paying court-ordered support, request an enforcement order through the Execution Court via Najiz — the court can garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, or impose a travel ban.
What should you NOT do — child support & spousal maintenance (nafaqa)?
Do not wait too long to file — you can claim back-dated nafaqa, but current claims are easier to enforce and temporary orders provide immediate relief.Do not accept informal verbal promises — get a court order so you have enforcement tools through the Execution Court.Do not withhold the child from the other parent as leverage for support payments — custody and nafaqa are separate legal matters, and doing this harms your custody position.