As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts towards digital transformation and the automation of government services, the Ministry of Interior's Civil Affairs Agency has clarified the mechanism adopted for updating educational qualifications through the "Absher" electronic platform. This step reinforces digital integration between government entities, specifically the technical link between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, making it easier for citizens to update their data without needing to visit government offices.
The importance of the service and the context of digital transformation
The Absher platform is the technological arm of the Ministry of Interior's e-services and a cornerstone in achieving the Kingdom's Vision 2030 e-government objectives. The importance of the educational qualification update service lies in its direct impact on the accuracy of national data, which supports employment opportunities, facilitates admission procedures in various sectors, and ensures that official records match the actual circumstances of citizens.
Steps to update your educational qualification via Absher
The Civil Status Department confirmed that the service allows users to amend their qualifications to the highest academic degree officially registered in the Ministry of Education's databases. Users can complete the process by following these steps:
- Log in to the "Absher" electronic platform.
- Select the "My Services" tab.
- Click on the "Civil Status" icon.
- Select "Educational Qualification Update Service" and follow the instructions.
Absher Approved Reporting Services
In addition to data updates, the platform offers the ability to generate official, verified reports that can be used as legal and administrative evidence. The platform has identified seven types of printable reports:
- "My Report" report (including personal data).
- Family member data report.
- Report on registered vehicles.
- Traffic violation report.
- Traffic accident report.
- Travel log data report.
- Domestic worker report.
Regulations for renewing the national identity card photo
In a related context concerning official documents, the Ministry of Interior's Civil Status Agency emphasized the technical standards required for accepting photographs when renewing national identity cards, to ensure the document's quality and compliance with security standards. These standards are:
- The background should be completely white.
- The photo must be recent (no more than 6 months old from the date of capture).
- Clear facial features and the absence of exaggerated expressions or cosmetics that alter the features.
- The image should be free of ink spots or holes.
- Take the picture straight while avoiding "red eyes" caused by flash reflection.
Details of the first name change service
The Civil Status Department also reviewed the regulations for the first name change service, which represents a significant step forward in streamlining civil procedures. This service allows citizens to change their own name or the name of a family member (under 18 years of age) electronically.
Duration and fees
- Fees: The service is free for all citizens.
- Duration: Immediate execution if the name is among the names known in advance at the Civil Status Department, and it takes up to 5 working days if the name is not known.
Terms and conditions of change
The agency has set several requirements to ensure the proper conduct of the name change process, most notably:
- The first name can only be changed twice (provided that the second time is to revert to the previous name).
- The consent of both parents to change the name of children under the age of 18 (unless one of them dies).
- There is no other pending processing request to change the name.
- The new name must comply with the approved naming standards (such as not resembling the beautiful names of God that are defined by “al”, not being a compound name, or not being contrary to Islamic law).
- The new name must not be identical to the name of a living brother or sister.
