The requirement to pay traffic fines for issuing and renewing a passport has been cancelled
In a significant regulatory step aimed at streamlining government procedures for citizens, the relevant authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have announced the elimination of the requirement to pay traffic fines as a prerequisite for issuing or renewing Saudi passports. This decision will facilitate citizens' ability to complete their official transactions quickly and efficiently, and reflects the ongoing development of digital government services offered through the "Absher" electronic platform.
The new update to the platform has shown the possibility of completing travel document services without the need to clear violations beforehand, which contributes to accelerating the pace of digital transactions and reducing the burdens on beneficiaries with high efficiency, while maintaining other basic requirements to ensure the safety of procedures.
General context: Digital transformation and Vision 2030
This decision falls within the broader framework of the Kingdom's digital transformation efforts, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030. Since its launch, the Vision has focused on restructuring government services to be more flexible and citizen-centric. The "Absher" platform has been at the forefront of this transformation, evolving from a simple online portal into a comprehensive service system covering all aspects of daily life for citizens and residents.
Previously, linking different government services, such as passport renewal to fine payment, was a regulatory measure aimed at ensuring compliance with laws. However, the modern approach focuses on separating logically unrelated services to enhance user experience and reduce bureaucratic hurdles, as clearly demonstrated by this new decision.
The importance of the decision and its expected impact
This update is of great importance on several levels:
- At the local level, the decision gives citizens greater flexibility in planning travel, whether for work, education, or tourism, without traffic violations posing a sudden obstacle. It also separates financial obligations related to traffic violations from the right to obtain a travel document, thus enhancing citizen satisfaction with government services.
- On the administrative level: The decision contributes to simplifying procedures within the General Directorate of Passports, and reduces pressure on interconnected verification systems, leading to increased efficiency in completing transactions and reduced waiting times.
- At the regional and international levels, this measure enhances the Kingdom's image as a leader in digital government and public service development. It also underscores its commitment to implementing global best practices in facilitating the movement of its citizens across borders, which positively impacts its international standing.
Updated Service Implementation Guidelines
Despite the cancellation of the requirement to pay fines, there are still basic controls for implementing the service through the “Absher” platform to ensure the accuracy of procedures, including:
- Payment of regulatory fees: The beneficiary must pay the fees prescribed for the issuance or renewal process through approved government payment channels.
- National Address: A registered and active national address is required for the beneficiary to ensure that the passport can be delivered after it is issued.
In exceptional cases, such as reporting a lost passport, the operational controls have set precise requirements to ensure reliability, such as the person reporting being 21 years of age or being married, in order to complete the regulatory procedures properly.
