http://www.english.hadhramaut.info Parliament approves law enabling non-Yemenis to own real estates [The Source: www.sabanews.net - 14/07/2009] The parliament approved in its Tuesday session, presided over by Speaker Yahya Arrae'i, a draft law enabling non-Yemenis to own real estates in Yemen. The draft is composed of 19 items distributed on three chapters included naming, definitions, aims, conditions and measures of possessions and general rules and penalties.The law basically aims at organizing process of non- Yemenis' possession of real estate assigned for housing and practicing legal activities. The law is applied on state's lands and real estates and of the private ones.The law allows non-Yemeni to own real estate in accordance to laws in force. The cases of owning real estates are locations of diplomatic missions, embassies, consulates, cultural centers, housing of heads missions and their members, international organizations and authorities, location of private housing or owning the licensed activity as well as possessing cultural and educational institutions not included in investment law provided having a license for practicing activity from concerned bodies.The law clarified the right of possession and using the real estates used as housing according to sharing time regulation. The law prohibits possessing real estates which have antique form or locating in antique and religious sites or those in border areas, uninhabited lands or any place where Yemeni citizen is banned to own.The law allows possessing lands in historical areas and makes a condition that the real estate must be in main or neighboring cities with urban planning or in the framework of investment housing and tourist projects which their owners have work licenses provided that the real estate is not used in other unlicensed activity.The law banned every one in charge of writing selling and buying documents to write a contract to non-Yemeni only after confirmation of validity of possessions' documents and that they are registered in land registry.The law also binds buyer to register the buying contract in the land registry.