Article 36 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 36 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 من السلطة المختصة في الجهة التي حصلت الولادة فيها مشتملة على البيانات اللازمة لإجراء القيد.
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 36 explained in plain English
This Article sets out an exception that makes it easier to report births abroad, and rests on the following:
- The exceptional case: the birth takes place abroad in a location far from the seat of the Saudi representation.
- The means of reporting: the birth may be reported by registered mail instead of in person.
- The condition: the report must be accompanied by a birth certificate issued by the competent authority in the place where the birth took place, and it must contain the data needed to make the entry.
The Article begins with the phrase "As an exception to what precedes", and what precedes it includes Article 35, which requires a birth that occurs while traveling outside the Kingdom to be reported within 15 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.
The exception here is permissive ("may be reported"), so it does not stop the interested person from reporting in the usual way. The Article does not specify the distance at which a location counts as far from the seat of the representation.
It is followed by Article 37, which requires twins to be reported each on his own and each to be recorded separately, indicating the hour and minute at which each was born.
Practical example
A Saudi working in a remote city in Australia, far from the seat of the Saudi representation, had a child there. He may report the birth by registered mail, provided he attaches a birth certificate from the competent Australian authority containing the data needed to make the entry.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 36 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Can a child born abroad be registered by mail?
Yes. If the birth takes place in a location far from the seat of the Saudi representation, it may be reported by registered mail.
What is the condition for reporting a birth by mail?
The report must be accompanied by a birth certificate from the competent authority in the place of birth, containing the data needed to make the entry.
Is reporting by mail mandatory in this case?
No. The Article provides that it is permitted.
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 34Amended (1422 AH)
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.
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 الو
- 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 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.