A new electronic marriage registry service in Egypt was inaugurated earlier this month, as a Muslim and Christian couple electronically signed their marriage certificates in the country’s northeastern governorate of Port Said.

During the marriage ceremonies, the registrars carried a tablet connected to the Civil Status Authority database that both verified the information on the spouses immediately and updated their online service accounts within a day giving them access to their marriage certificates.

The launch of the electronic marriage registry service comes as part of Egypt’s digital transformation plan. In December 2018, Communication and Information Technology Minister Amr Talaat announced that 20 e-government services, ranging from renewing traffic licenses to obtaining divorce and marriage certificates, would be provided in 2019.

The government has chosen Port Said governorate, which has a strong information technology infrastructure and the highest usage of cellphones in the country, to become a model for the digital transformation. Eight government services, including the marriage e-registry, have been offered electronically to residents of the province since June 30.