Article 90 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 90 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The article allows population registers to be relied on until withdrawn and replaced within four years of the Law taking effect, after which they are considered cancelled unless the Minister of Interior extends the deadline.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم الاعتماد على حفائظ النفوس إلى أن يتم سحبها وصرف عوض عنها، وذلك خلال أربع سنوات من تاريخ نفاذ هذا النظام، وبانتهاء هذه المدة تعتبر حفائظ النفوس ملغاة ما لم يتم تمديد مهلة استبدالها بقرار من وزير الداخلية.
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 90 explained in plain English
This article sets the transitional period for old population registers after the Civil Status Law took effect.
- Continued reliance: population registers continue to be relied on until they are withdrawn and a replacement is issued in their place.
- Replacement period: this takes place within four years from the date the Law took effect.
- Effect of the period ending: when the four years end, population registers are considered cancelled.
- The exception: they are not cancelled if the deadline for replacing them is extended by decision of the Minister of Interior.
The article does not state the length of an extension or how many times it may be granted, but leaves that to the decision of the Minister of Interior. Nor does it name the replacement document; it simply provides for "issuing a replacement".
This article is linked to Article 89, which makes population registers issued before the Law took effect the basis for registering Saudi citizens in the central civil register unless their validity is doubted; if it is doubted, they are referred to their issuer, and then to the Civil Status Authority if their validity cannot be established from the records. Article 89 concerns using the register as a basis for registration, and Article 90 concerns the period during which it remains valid to be relied on.
Anyone who still holds an old population register and wants to know its status would do well to contact the civil status authorities or consult a lawyer specialized in civil status cases.
Practical example
Mohammed held an old population register issued before the Law. During the four years following the Law's taking effect, his register remained valid until it was withdrawn from him and a replacement was issued. If it had not been replaced by the end of the period and no decision had been issued by the Minister of Interior extending the deadline, it would be considered cancelled.
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 90 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Is the population register still valid?
Under the article, when four years have passed since the Law took effect, population registers are considered cancelled unless the Minister of Interior extends the deadline for replacing them.
What is the deadline for replacing a population register?
Four years from the date the Law took effect, and it may be extended by decision of the Minister of Interior.
Who has the power to extend the deadline for replacing population registers?
The Minister of Interior, by his decision.
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تدل المصطلحات التالية - حيثما وردت في هذا النظام ولائحته التنفيذية - على المعاني المدونة لكل منها: أ - المديرية : هي المديرية العامة للأحوال المدنية المسئولة عن
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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.