Article 16 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 16 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article requires the biometric features of Saudis who have reached the age of six to be recorded when entries are amended or civil statuses and events are registered, and leaves the rules to the Implementing Regulations.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
عند تعديل القيود أو تسجيل الحالات والواقعات المدنية، تُسجّل الخصائص الحيوية لمن بلغ سن (السادسة) من السعوديين. وتحدد اللائحة التنفيذية الضوابط اللازمة لما ورد في هذه المادة
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 16 explained in plain English
This Article deals with recording the biometric features of Saudi citizens in the civil status records. Its rule works as follows:
- Who is covered: Saudis who have reached the age of six.
- When it is recorded: when entries are amended, or when civil statuses and events are registered.
- The rules: they are set by the Implementing Regulations; the Article does not say which biometric features are required or how they are taken.
Article 2 defines an event as the occurrence of birth, marriage, divorce, loss or regaining of nationality, or death, and any incident that the Law or its Implementing Regulations require to be registered. This Article follows Article 15, which regulates the amendment of entries and secondary data, so if an entry is amended for a person who has reached six, his or her biometric features are recorded. Article 17 also requires every citizen to report the civil events that must be registered within the period set by law.
This wording was issued by Royal Decree No. M/198 dated 22/9/1445 AH. For the detailed rules, refer to the Implementing Regulations; anyone with a problem in the procedures for their entry may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
Practical example
A mother went to the civil status office to amend a detail in the entry of her seven-year-old son. Because the child is a Saudi who has reached six, his biometric features are recorded when the amendment is made, according to the rules set by the Implementing Regulations.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 16 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
From what age are biometric features recorded in the civil status records?
For Saudis who have reached the age of six.
When are biometric features recorded?
When entries are amended or civil statuses and events are registered.
Where can I find the details of recording biometric features?
The Article refers the necessary rules to the Implementing Regulations.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/198 — 22/9/1445 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُدلت هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/198) وتاريخ 1445/9/22هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي:
"عند تعديل القيود أو تسجيل الحالات والواقعات المدنية، تُسجّل الخصائص الحيوية لمن بلغ سن (السادسة) من السعوديين. وتحدد اللائحة التنفيذية الضوابط اللازمة لما ورد في هذه المادة".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يكون تعديل قيود وبيانات السجلات وفقا للمنصوص عليه في المادة (15) بإجراء الإضافة أو الحذف أو التغيير في هامش صفحة القيد، ويجب أن يوقع عليه كل من كاتب السجل المنوط به القيد ورئيسه المباشر.
More articles on Registering Civil Events
- Article 5
The article makes the Kingdom's representations responsible for registering Saudis' events abroad and recognizes a foreign state's registration if it does not conflict with the Kingdom's laws, with a duty to enter it within 180 days.
تتولى ممثليات جلالة الملك مسئولية مكاتب الأحوال المدنية في الخارج فيما يتعلق بتسجيل الواقعات المدنية للسعوديين المقيمين في دائرة اختصاصها في الخارج، ومع هذا فكل
- Article 17
The Article requires every citizen holding a family record book to go to the civil status office with the information and documents needed to register himself and his family, and every citizen to report future events within the legal period.
يجب على كل مواطن يحمل حفيظة نفوس أن يتقدم إلى إحدى دوائر الأحوال المدنية بجميع المعلومات والوثائق اللازمة لتسجيله وأفراد أسرته، وعلى كل مواطن التبليغ عن جميع ال
- Article 18
The Article requires registrars to record every civil event as soon as it is reported, with the date of the entry, and the entry must include the reporter's name, surname, age, residence, capacity and the date of the report.
يجب على كتاب السجلات قيد كل واقعة مدنية عند التبليغ عنها مباشرة مع تحديد تاريخ القيد يوم حصوله، ويجب أن يتضمن القيد اسم المبلغ ولقبه وسنه ومحل إقامته وصفته في ا
- Article 19Amended (1422 AH)
The Article sets the procedure when a registrar refuses to record a civil event: he refers the matter within 7 days, the head decides within 30 days, and the interested person may file a grievance with the sub-committee.
إذا رفض كاتب السجل المنوط به القيد – قيد أية واقعة مدنية - وجب عليه خلال سبعة أيام رفع الأمر إلى الإدارة التي يتبعها بمذكرة مسببة. وعلى مدير الإدارة أن يبدي رأي
- Article 20Amended (1422 AH)
The Article regulates recording a civil event reported late: before its first year ends the registrar records it after verification; after a year it is recorded only by decision of the local committee.
عند التبليغ عن واقعة مدنية بعد فوات المدة المحددة وقبل نهاية السنة الأولى لحدوثها، فعلى كاتب السجل أن يتثبت من صحة وقوعها في التاريخ المبلغ عنه، وله في هذا السب
- Article 21
The Article requires the reporter to be given a copy of the entry for the event on the prescribed form, the registrar and the reporter to sign the entry and its copy, and a refusal to sign to be recorded in the presence of two witnesses.
بعد قيد الواقعة يعطى المبلغ صورة من قيدها على النموذج المعد لذلك ويجب أن يوقع على القيد وصورته كل من كاتب السجل المنوط به القيد والمبلغ فإن امتنع المبلغ عن التو
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.