RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has clarified that passports issued to Saudi citizens for the first time do not require activation.
However, citizens in Saudi Arabia who have renewed their passports are required to have their previous passports checked and their new passports activated at any passport office, branch office or international port of entry.
The directorate said citizens do not need a prior appointment for either the passport verification or activation procedures.
To complete the process, citizens must present their previous passport and verify the activation status of their new passport through the Absher platform in Saudi Arabia.
The directorate has also enabled Saudi citizens to issue and renew passports electronically through Absher, eliminating the need to visit passport offices for the application process.
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Applicants can access the service by logging into Absher and selecting “My Services,” followed by “Passports” and “Issuance of Saudi Passport.”
They can then submit a passport issuance or renewal request, select the required renewal period, accept the applicable terms and declarations, choose a delivery option, enter their delivery address, review the submitted information and pay the applicable fees.
The online service is part of efforts to streamline passport-related procedures and enable citizens to complete applications digitally through government services.
