Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of stricter penalties for violations of its travel document laws, including hefty fines and travel bans for Saudi citizens who breach official regulations.
Under the updated executive rules, Saudi citizens travelling to countries where travel is prohibited could face fines of up to SR30,000 and a travel ban of up to two years. Repeat offenders may see the fine doubled and face bans of up to five years.
The regulations, approved by Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, allow authorities to determine restricted destinations based on security assessments and official procedures.
It was stipulated in the executive regulations that the penalty will be multiplied in several circumstances. These include if the country is dangerous, or if it is a conflict zone, or if it is subject to travel restrictions due to emergency circumstances.
The penalty will be reduced in certain cases, such as if the offender has first-degree family ties to the country, if the offender transits through the country on indirect flights for no more than 48 hours, or if the offender’s age is 60 years or above.
The rules also introduce penalties for providing false information when applying for travel documents, with fines of up to 5,000 riyals.
The fine will be doubled for repeat offenses, and the offender will be banned from traveling for a period not exceeding six months.
Anyone who alters, adds to, deletes from, or changes the information in a travel document without authorization will be referred to the Public Prosecution after the relevant department at the ministry completes the necessary procedures.
More serious violations, including altering or falsifying passports, damaging official documents, or allowing others to use them unlawfully could lead to fines of up to 100,000 riyals and travel bans of up to five years. Such cases may also be referred to public prosecutors. The fine will be doubled for repeat offenses.
Authorities warned that entering or leaving Saudi Arabia through unofficial border points without valid justification would carry similar penalties.
The executive regulations also outlined the conditions and procedures for issuing passports and travel documents, as well as the steps to take in case of loss, and the penalties for losses due to negligence.
The regulations emphasize that entry into or exit from the Kingdom is only permitted through official ports of entry. If compelling circumstances necessitate entry through unofficial ports or without a travel document, the individual must immediately report this to the nearest security authority.
The regulations further stipulate that every citizen within the Saudi Arabia must keep their passport in a safe place and not carry it with them when traveling, as the national identity card is the sole means of identification within the Kingdom.
Saudi citizens traveling outside the Kingdom with permanent or semi-permanent residency advised must register their passports with the Saudi embassies or consulates in the respective countries of their visit.