Samar Al-Miqrin I understand the idea of having laws and regulations that prevent women from exercising their right to apply for or renew their passports. However, I do not agree with these laws and regulations, and I have written many times about this issue. Today, I would like to focus, in particular, on widows, who have to search for male guardians in order to apply for a passport or renew one. Some widows might have sons but others do not and as a result they sometimes have to pay money to find a guardian. They will suffer if the guardian turns out to be a greedy person who will milk them of their money before helping them. Some guardians demand large amounts of money to accompany a widow abroad.
I received a letter from a widow who said she was 43 years old and had three sons studying in college and two daughters in intermediate school. This widow, named Ruqaya, went to the Passport Department in her city to apply for a passport. Her application was denied because she did not have a guardian. The Passport Department official told her to take her elder son to the court and have him appointed as her guardian. Ruqaya was shocked by the laws and regulations. She could not comprehend having her own son, whom she had raised, as her guardian. She rejects this idea because she believes that she is an adult women who can make her own decisions and does not need her son to decide for her or tell her when she can travel or not. Although Ruqaya can go to the court and have her son appointed as her guardian, she does not want to do it because it is against her principles. When will laws stop humiliating and belittling Saudi women?
