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Get Birth Certificates in Saudi Arabia – Riyadh and Jeddah
In Saudi Arabia, birth registration and birth certificates are managed by the General Directorate of Civil Affairs under the Ministry of Interior. A birth certificate (شهادة الميلاد / shahadat al-milad) is required for obtaining a national identity card (Huwiyya), applying for a Saudi passport, school enrollment, and accessing government services. Saudi Arabia has significantly digitized its civil registration services through the Absher platform and the Nafath digital identity system. Riyadh, the capital, and Jeddah, the second-largest city, are the main centers for civil registration.
Birth Registration in Saudi Arabia
Under Saudi regulations, births must be registered within 60 days at the local civil affairs office or via the Absher digital platform. Hospitals in Saudi Arabia typically initiate the birth notification automatically through government-linked systems. For Saudi nationals, the birth is then processed through the civil affairs system. Expatriate residents must also register births within the required period and notify their home country’s embassy.
Documents Required for Saudi Nationals
- Hospital birth notification (automatically generated in most hospitals)
- National identity cards of both parents
- Family record booklet (sijil al-usra)
- Marriage certificate
How to Get a Birth Certificate in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s Absher platform (absher.sa) allows Saudi nationals to register births and request birth certificates online. For in-person registration in Riyadh:
- Visit the Civil Affairs office (maktab al-ahwal al-madaniyya) in your district of Riyadh
- Submit the hospital birth notification
- Present both parents’ national IDs and sijil al-usra family record
- Complete the registration and receive the birth certificate
Alternatively, use the Absher platform (absher.sa) to register the birth and request the birth certificate digitally — the preferred method for most Saudi residents.
How to Get a Birth Certificate in Jeddah
Jeddah has multiple civil affairs offices across its districts, and the same Absher digital platform is available nationwide. For in-person registration in Jeddah:
- Visit the Civil Affairs office in your Jeddah district
- Submit the required documents — hospital notification, parents’ IDs, and family record
- Complete registration and receive the birth certificate
Birth Registration for Expatriates in Saudi Arabia
Expatriate residents giving birth in Saudi Arabia must register the birth with both the local civil affairs office (for a birth certificate issued in Saudi Arabia) and their home country’s embassy or consulate. The Saudi-issued birth certificate documents the birth in Saudi Arabia, while the embassy registration records the birth in the child’s country of citizenship.
Tips for Getting a Birth Certificate in Saudi Arabia
- Use the Absher platform (absher.sa) for the fastest and most convenient birth registration — most hospitals are integrated with this system
- Register within 60 days to avoid late registration penalties
- Expatriate parents: notify your home embassy promptly to register the child’s nationality and passport eligibility
- Keep the sijil al-usra (family record booklet) updated with each child’s registration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Absher platform in Saudi Arabia?
Absher (absher.sa) is Saudi Arabia’s official e-government platform for the Ministry of Interior. It allows Saudi nationals and residents to complete many civil transactions online including birth registration, passport renewal, driving licenses, and more. Birth registration through Absher is the primary method used in Saudi Arabia today.
What is the sijil al-usra in Saudi Arabia?
The sijil al-usra (family record) is a document recording all members of a Saudi family unit. Each child must be added to the sijil al-usra after birth registration. It is required for many government transactions.
Can foreigners get a Saudi birth certificate for their child?
Yes. A birth certificate documenting the birth in Saudi Arabia is issued regardless of the parents’ nationality. However, Saudi citizenship is not granted through birth on Saudi soil — it is based on the father’s nationality.
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia’s highly digitized civil registration system makes getting a birth certificate in Riyadh or Jeddah fast and convenient. The Absher platform allows most births to be registered online without visiting a civil affairs office. Registering within 60 days and keeping the family record (sijil al-usra) updated are the key steps to completing the process.