Saudi Passport Guide 2026, Issuance, Renewal, and Fees

The Saudi passport is the official travel document for every Saudi citizen, and issuance and renewal moved online for most cases with the digital transformation of the General Directorate of Passports. This guide covers the actual statutory procedures via Absher and when in-person attendance is required.

Types of Saudi Passport

The Saudi system recognizes four passport types:

| Type | Issued to | Validity | |---|---|---| | Ordinary (blue) | All citizens | 5 or 10 years | | Special (green) | Senior state officials | 5 years | | Diplomatic (red) | Diplomats and their families | 5 years | | Hajj / Umrah | Holders of temporary religious visas | Per visa |

The most common document is the ordinary passport. Other types follow special regulations issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Council of Grievances.

Validity Choice — 5 or 10 Years

Since the validity option expanded in 1440 AH, citizens choose on issuance and renewal:

5-year passport:

• Lower fee
• Suitable for infrequent travelers
• Children's features change fast (photo may need updating)

10-year passport:

• Roughly double the fee
• Suitable for regular travelers
• Saves repeat renewal procedures

Practical tip: for children under 12, choose the 5-year passport only — features change rapidly and some Schengen states refuse passports with old photos.

Absher Renewal Steps

The electronic procedure in Absher 2026:

1. Log in to absher.sa with your personal account
2. Navigate: My Services → Passport Services → "Passport Renewal"
3. Choose validity period (5 or 10 years)
4. Review current passport data and confirm accuracy
5. Pay via SADAD with the bill number shown
6. Select delivery: shipment to national address via Saudi Post (default), or pickup at a Jawazat branch
7. Receive within 5–10 working days via Saudi Post

Critical prerequisite: your Splonline national address must be active and updated, since the passport ships there.

Official Fees

Rates as officially posted by the General Directorate of Passports:

| Service | Fee | |---|---| | New passport issuance – 5 years | 300 SAR | | New passport issuance – 10 years | 600 SAR | | Renewal – 5 years | 300 SAR | | Renewal – 10 years | 600 SAR | | Lost replacement | 300 SAR + late fine (varies) | | Damaged replacement | 300 SAR |

Fees are shown in Absher on service start and paid via SADAD before request execution.

When You Need to Attend in Person

Office attendance is mandatory for:

• First issuance for a child who never had a passport
• Loss or damage, with a police report
• Data correction such as name or birth date
• Photo update for those over 10 years since the current photo
• Emergency passport for travel within 24 hours (extra fee)

Passport offices are distributed across major cities and operate Sunday–Thursday 7:30–2:30. Booking an appointment via Absher is mandatory at most branches to avoid queues.

Passports for Children and Newborns

Every Saudi child is entitled to an independent passport from birth, not attached to the father's or mother's document.

Steps to issue a newborn passport:

1. Register the child in Civil Affairs to obtain an electronic birth certificate (done at the hospital, then documented via Absher)
2. Add the child as a beneficiary in your Absher account
3. Go to "Issue Passport for Dependent"
4. Upload an official photo matching passport specifications
5. Pay and collect as any passport

Note: some embassies (like the U.S.) require in-person appearance of the child to obtain a visa, but that is the foreign embassy's requirement, not the Saudi Passport Directorate's.

Saudi Passport Strength Globally

The Saudi passport grants visa-free entry (or visa on arrival) to over 85 countries (per 2025 Henley Index), including:

• All six GCC countries
• Many Schengen states (following the 2025 agreement — verify with the consulate)
• Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan (conditional)
• Many South American and African countries

Prior-visa countries: Europe (pre-2025), USA, Canada, Australia, and others in the Riyadh embassies list.

Additional Questions

Can I use the Saudi passport for visa-free GCC travel? Within the six GCC states, a Saudi citizen enters with the passport or even the valid national ID. The passport is mandatory for all other countries.

Are Saudi passports stamped at airports? Some Saudi border points use the "Smart Passport Gate" electronic route without stamping. Others still use manual stamps.

What is the difference between the passport and the old family passport? The family passport was officially abolished in 2019. Every individual now holds an independent passport regardless of age or status.

Official Sources

• Absher platform, absher.sa
• General Directorate of Passports, gdp.gov.sa
• National Address (Splonline)
• Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mofa.gov.sa

Read also: Saudi National ID Renewal · Complete Absher Guide · Iqama Renewal