By Hussein Hazzazi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Passports Department (Jazwazat) is putting the blame on Ministry of Education for the current overcrowding at all its branches since the latter refused to accept children not furnishing their biometrics at the Passports Department.

The Ministry of Education insists on having a print proof from the Jawazat.

Col. Badr Al-Garni, official spokesman of the Passports Department, said that they urged the Ministry of Education through a memo to take the biometrics of expat male and female children enrolled in schools, and to make sure that this process does not hinder their education. Students above the age of six are required to have their biometrics taken and added to their database to ease future process, such as the issuance of iqama (residence permit). He said that parents can obtain their print record from the social media application ‘Absher’ without the need to physically visit the Passports Department branch.

All branches of the Jawazat are witnessing huge overcrowding by expatriate parents who wanted to take the required printouts.