Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Passport information of expatriates can now be updated through the account of their employers via Absher platform without personally contacting the offices of the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat). There will be a service charge of SR69, including VAT, for availing of this online service.

The Absher platform will provide these services to those expatriates whose age is above 18 years after renewal of their passports. The platform allows access to this service through the "My Services" section, then navigate to the "Passports" section, access the Resident Identity Services, and update their passport information.

The platform requires a clear photo of the passport to be attached to the Absher website, which automatically reads the passport number and expiry date. When reading the new passport information on Absher, the platform required the expatriate to agree to a pledge through which he/she has to confirm that the previous passport must not be lost, and there is not a report of 'absence from work' against the resident.

The undertaking shall also include that there must be no traffic violations recorded on the residency permit (iqama) for which the new passport information is to be registered. Moreover, there must be no security restrictions for either parties (employer and employee), and they must be alive and keeping well.

The passport information update service will be undertaken for one worker once in every five years. If the same resident has another passport, this requires personal contact to the Jawazat office for benefiting from the service.

In the event that the previous passport is lost, it is necessary to visit personally the Jawazat office to avail of the service. If it is proven that the service was made available on a lost passport, the one who completed the service will be held accountable according to the rules and regulations.

The registration of the new or renewed passport will be under the responsibility of the one who completes the service, and he will bear full responsibility if it is proven otherwise in terms of forgery.

The online service of updating information will not be possible if the previous passport contains family members who have later secured new passports. In such a context, it is necessary to personally visit the Jawazat office to update the information.