Article 92 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 92 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The article requires birth and death certificates to be issued under the Law after it takes effect, with the health offices continuing to issue them until jurisdiction is gradually transferred to civil status offices within five years.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
بعد نفاذ هذا النظام تصدر شهادات المواليد والوفيات وفقا لأحكامه، وتستمر المكاتب الصحية في إصدار هذه الشهادات إلى أن يتم نقل هذا الاختصاص بوظائفه المعتمدة والعاملين فيه بشكل تدريجي إلى مكاتب الأحوال المدنية خلال خمس سنوات، ويجوز تعديل هذه المدة بقرار من مجلس الوزراء.
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 92 explained in plain English
This article regulates the transition in issuing birth and death certificates from the health offices to the civil status offices.
- The rule after the Law takes effect: birth and death certificates are issued under the provisions of the Civil Status Law.
- The temporary position: the health offices continue to issue these certificates until jurisdiction is transferred.
- How the transfer is made: jurisdiction is transferred gradually to the civil status offices, together with its approved posts and the staff working in it.
- The period of transfer: within five years, and this period may be amended by decision of the Council of Ministers.
Thus jurisdiction does not move all at once; the health offices keep issuing the certificates until it is transferred. The article does not specify the stages of the gradual transfer or their order among the regions.
Related articles include:
- Article 91, which provides that the head of the family for purposes of applying the Law is the father or the mother with respect to minor children.
- Article 93, which allows the Minister of Interior to specify the cases in which he sees fit to extend the reporting period, according to controls set by the Implementing Regulations.
Anyone with a problem with a birth or death certificate issued during the transition period would do well to contact the civil status authorities or consult a lawyer specialized in civil status cases.
Practical example
Faisal had a baby in a hospital in Jeddah during the transition period, and jurisdiction to issue birth certificates had not yet been transferred to the civil status office in his area. In this case the health office continues to issue the birth certificate under the provisions of the Law until the transfer of jurisdiction is complete.
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 92 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Who issues the birth certificate after the Civil Status Law takes effect?
It is issued under the provisions of the Law, and the health offices continue to issue it until jurisdiction is gradually transferred to the civil status offices.
How long does it take to transfer the issue of birth and death certificates to civil status?
Five years, and this period may be amended by decision of the Council of Ministers.
Are health office employees transferred with the jurisdiction?
Yes. The article provides for transferring the jurisdiction gradually together with its approved posts and the staff working in it.
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 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.
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.