Article 34 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 34 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article requires births to be reported at a civil status office within 15 days of birth, extended to 30 days if the birthplace is more than 50 kilometers away.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يكون التبليغ عن المواليد لدى مكتب من مكاتب الأحوال المدنية على النموذج المعد لذلك خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الولادة. وتكون هذه المهلة ثلاثين يوما إذا حدثت الولادة في مكان يبعد عن أقرب إدارة أو مكتب للأحوال المدنية أكثر من خمسين كيلا.
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 34 explained in plain English
This Article sets the place and period for reporting births:
- Where to report: one of the civil status offices, on the prescribed form.
- The original period: fifteen days from the date of birth.
- The extended period: thirty days if the birth takes place in a location more than fifty kilometers from the nearest civil status department or office.
Who is required to report is found in Article 33, which sets out those responsible in order: the child's father, if he is in the country on the day of birth or is present during the reporting period; then the closest male relative of the newborn, aged seventeen or over, who lives with the mother; then those who do not live with her; then the mayor of the locality or tribal sheikh; then the administrative governor in the village or center; then those the Implementing Regulations make responsible. The responsibility of each group lapses if the group before it exists.
If the birth occurs while traveling outside the Kingdom, Article 35 requires reporting within fifteen days of the date of arrival, to the Saudi representation in the country the traveler is heading to, or to any civil status office in the Kingdom on return.
This wording was issued by Royal Decree No. M/25 dated 1/6/1422 AH. Anyone who is late in reporting or faces a problem is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in personal status or administrative cases.
Practical example
Mohammed had a baby girl in Riyadh, so he must report her birth at a civil status office within fifteen days. His cousin, who lives in a village more than fifty kilometers from the nearest civil status office, has thirty days to report his child's birth.
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 34 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
How long do I have to register a newborn with the civil status office?
Fifteen days from the date of birth, and thirty days if the birth took place in a location more than fifty kilometers from the nearest civil status department or office.
Where is a birth reported?
At one of the civil status offices, on the prescribed form.
Who is responsible for reporting a birth?
Article 33 sets out those responsible in order, the first being the child's father if he is in the country on the day of birth or is present during the reporting period.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/25 — 1/6/1422 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
عدلت هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/25) وتاريخ 1 / 6 / 1422 هـ ،لتكون بالنص التالى:
يكون التبليغ عن المواليد لدى مكتب من مكاتب الأحوال المدنية على النموذج المعد لذلك خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الولادة. وتكون هذه المهلة ثلاثين يوما إذا حدثت الولادة في مكان يبعد عن أقرب إدارة أو مكتب للأحوال المدنية أكثر من خمسين كيلا.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يكون التبليغ عن المواليد لدى مكتب الأحوال المدنية الذي حدثت الولادة في دائرة اختصاصه على النموذج المعد لذلك خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الولادة، وتكون هذه المهلة ثلاثين يوما إذا حدثت الولادة في مكان يبعد عن أقرب إدارة أو مكتب للأحوال المدنية أكثر من خمسين كيلو متر .
More articles on Birth Registration
- Article 8
The article requires the event registers for Saudis and foreigners to include a births register, a deaths register and a marriage and divorce register, and others may be added by decision of the Minister of Interior.
يجب أن تشمل سجلات الواقعات للسعوديين والأجانب سجلا لتسجيل المواليد وسجلا لتسجيل الوفيات وسجلا لتسجيل الزواج والطلاق، ويمكن إضافة غيرها من سجلات الواقعات للسعودي
- Article 32
The Article requires all births in the Kingdom, and all Saudi births abroad, to be reported within the periods set by the Civil Status Law.
يجب التبليغ عن جميع المواليد في المملكة وعن جميع المواليد السعوديين في الخارج خلال المدد المحددة في هذا النظام.
- Article 35
The Article requires a birth that occurs while traveling outside the Kingdom to be reported within 15 days of arrival, to the Saudi representation in the destination country or to any civil status office on return.
إذا حصلت الولادة أثناء السفر خارج المملكة وجب التبليغ عنها خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الوصول، ويوجه التبليغ إلى الممثلية العربية السعودية في البلد الذي يقصده ا
- Article 36
As an exception, the Article allows a birth abroad in a place far from the Saudi representation to be reported by registered mail, provided a birth certificate from the competent authority containing the entry data is attached.
استثناء مما سبق إذا حصلت الولادة في الخارج في جهة بعيدة عن مقر الممثلية السعودية جاز التبليغ عنها بوساطة البريد المسجل بشرط أن يكون التبليغ مصحوبا بشهادة ميلاد
- Article 37
The Article requires twins to be reported each on his own and recorded separately, stating the hour and minute at which each was born.
يبلغ عن المواليد التوائم كل على انفراد ويقيد كل منهم على حدة مع الإشارة إلى الساعة والدقيقة التي ولد فيها كل منهم.
- Article 38Amended (1422 AH)
The Article requires the birth of a newborn who dies before being recorded to be registered, followed by his death, and requires a child born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy to be recorded in the register of deaths as stillborn.
إذا توفي مولود قبل قيده في السجل، وجب تسجيل ولادته ثم تسجيل وفاته. أما إذا ولد ميتا بعد الشهر السادس من الحمل فيقيد في سجل الوفيات بأنه ولد ميتا.
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.