What does Kuwait law say about a man marrying a second wife?

Kuwait's Personal Status Law permits polygamy within the limits of Islamic law, but it places important restrictions on who a man may marry simultaneously. Under Article 19, a man cannot marry a woman who is already married to someone else, nor can he marry a woman who is currently in her waiting period (iddah) following a divorce or the death of a previous husband.

Article 20 adds a further prohibition on combining two wives who would be forbidden to each other if one of them were hypothetically male. In practice, this means a man cannot be simultaneously married to two women who are sisters, or to an aunt and her niece, since these pairs would be prohibited from marrying each other under the blood-relation rules.

While Kuwait law does not specify a formal court approval process within these articles, a man seeking to marry a second wife must ensure the new marriage complies fully with all validity requirements — including the guardian's consent, witnesses, and absence of any prohibitions. First wives in Kuwait may have contractual rights if stipulated in the original marriage contract. Expat men should also be aware that their home country may not recognise polygamous marriages, which can create legal complications for inheritance, residency, and family status abroad. Legal advice from both a Kuwaiti and a home-country lawyer is strongly recommended.