Others would face jail time for breaking the same rule.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his girlfriend will be allowed to live together despite Saudi Arabia’s laws which prevent unmarried couples from cohabiting.
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr on a two-and-a-half-year deal and was formally unveiled to fans last week for the first time.
Argentine-born Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez, who was with Ronaldo at the unveiling, will be moving to Riyadh along with Ronaldo’s five children – two of which are her own.
Saudi’s strict Islamic laws state that ‘cohabitation without a marriage contract’ is illegal. However, two Saudi lawyers have told Spanish press that the government are turning a ‘blind eye’ to the living situation due to the high profile status the 37-year-old brings to the country.
They said: “Although the laws of the kingdom still prohibit cohabitation without a marriage contract, the authorities have recently started to turn a blind eye and no longer prosecute anyone.
“Although these laws are used when there is a problem or a crime.”
Meanwhile, another lawyer added: “Nowadays Saudi authorities no longer interfere in this matter – for expatriates – even though the law prohibits cohabitation without marriage.”
Rodriguez’s next battle is how she will be able to attain a visa. As she is unable to qualify for one through marriage, she faces certain hurdles to overcome.
Al Nassr could offer to sponsor her visa or the alternative method would be to obtain a one-year tourist visa, however that will expire before Ronaldo’s contract at his new club comes to an end.
