Saudi passport renewal requires presence in Kingdom, authorities clarify
Saudi authorities confirm that citizens must be inside the Kingdom to renew their passports, advising those abroad to contact Saudi missions if needed.
Key Takeaways
AIA query was sent to the official account of the General Directorate of Passports in Saudi Arabia from a follower, stating: "Hello, I am in America and want to renew my passport. I contacted the embassy and was told there is a system update. It has now been almost three months and I need a solution to this issue."
The Passports Directorate clarified via its page on X that, regarding passport renewal, regulations require the applicant to be inside the Kingdom in order to complete the process.
It added: "Please contact the Saudi mission in your country of residence for assistance."
View the post on X
The General Directorate of Passports also urged citizens to safeguard their passports both inside and outside the Kingdom, protecting them from damage, loss, or theft, and not to neglect, pawn, or misuse them, and to keep them in safe places.
The directorate explained that if a passport is lost, damaged, or stolen within the Kingdom, a report should be filed through the "Report Saudi Passport Loss" service on the Absher platform.
It added that if a passport is lost outside the Kingdom, citizens should promptly notify the nearest Saudi mission and visit the Passports Directorate upon returning to the Kingdom to complete the necessary procedures.