Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The Passport Department (Jawazat) in Riyadh has issued and renewed a record number of 4,094 Saudi passports in a day, its director, Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Al-Sihaibani has announced.

"We are working day and night with all our human and technological potentials to process the paperwork without any delay," he said.

Sihaibani said in addition to issuing and renewing passports, the department also issued traveled permits.

He asked Saudi citizens to make use of the Wasil service being extended by the Saudi Post to receive their passports.

"This service is available all over Riyadh through post offices, which are open from the morning till 9 p.m.," he added.

Sihaibani also asked the citizens, the expatriates and the businessmen to make use of the Jawazat electronic services including Absher and Muqeem.

He recalled that the Jawazat has recently launched an awareness campaign under the title "Your passport is your identity" to enlighten the citizens to keep their travel documents safe.

The passport chief asked the Saudis traveling abroad never to neglect their passports, mortgage them or keep them in unsafe places.

"You should be aware of the dangers of losing your passport, which may be used illegally by other people," he told the citizens.

He also asked them to register their passports immediately on arrival in foreign countries with the Saudi diplomatic and consular missions.

"Before leaving the Kingdom, you should make sure that your passport is valid enough to travel abroad," he asked the citizens.