Saudi Arabia Explains How to Register Birth and Marriage for Foreigners

• Saudi Arabia outlined the steps citizens must follow to register vital events such as births, deaths, and marriages while living outside the Kingdom
• The Saudi Embassy plays a central role in each procedure, handling everything from electronic birth registration to death repatriation paperwork
• Citizens seeking to authenticate a marriage contract abroad must first obtain approval from the Ministry of Interior before approaching the embassy

Saudi Arabia has set out the official steps its citizens must take to register a birth, record a death, or authenticate a marriage contract while residing or travelling outside the Kingdom.

The guidance covers three separate procedures, each with its own requirements and official channels.

How to register a birth abroad

Saudi citizens who have a child outside the Kingdom are required to contact the Saudi Embassy in the relevant country to register the birth electronically.

Once that step is complete, the parent can finalise the registration through their personal account on the Absher platform, the government's digital services portal, without needing to visit any government office in person.

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Registering a death and returning the deceased

For the death of a Saudi citizen abroad, the family or next of kin must contact the Saudi Embassy in the country where the death occurred.

The embassy handles both the formal registration of the death and the arrangements for repatriating the deceased back to Saudi Arabia. No further steps through an online platform were specified for this procedure.

Authenticating a marriage contract

Authenticating a marriage contract conducted outside Saudi Arabia involves two stages. The citizen must first obtain the required approval from the Ministry of Interior before approaching the embassy.

Once that clearance is in place, the Saudi Embassy in the relevant country can proceed with the authentication process.

The guidance reflects Saudi Arabia's broader push to offer government services remotely through digital platforms like Absher, reducing the need for citizens abroad to make in-person visits to government offices for routine administrative matters.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that Saudi Arabia has changed its employment rules for foreigners working in 94 technical engineering occupations, requiring private sector companies to fill at least 35% of those roles with Saudi nationals.

Source: Legit.ng