Article 10 of the Saudi Rules on Expatriate Violators
المادة 10 من قواعد التعامل مع الوافدين من مخالفي الأنظمة
Article 10 provides that the Ministry of Interior applies to the violators mentioned in Articles 1, 3 and 4 the penalties in Articles (4) and (5) of the Regulation of the Treatment of Arrivals to the Kingdom.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق وزارة الداخلية على المخالفين المشار إليهم في البنود (الأول) و (الثالث) و (الرابع) من هذه القواعد العقوبات المنصوص عليها في المادتين (4) و (5) من تنظيم معاملة القادمين للمملكة بتأشيرات دخول للحج أو العمرة أو الزيارة أو العمل وغيرها، الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي رقم (م/ 42) وتاريخ 18/ 10/ 1404هـ .
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 10 explained in plain English
Article 10 does not create new penalties; it refers to existing penalties in another law, which is the Regulation of the Treatment of Arrivals to the Kingdom on Entry Visas for Hajj, Umrah, Visit, Work and Others, issued by Royal Decree No. (M/42) dated 18/10/1404 AH, specifically its Articles (4) and (5). This article does not set out the content of those penalties, so one must refer to that regulation for them.
The body that applies the penalties is the Ministry of Interior, and they are applied to the violators referred to in three articles:
- Article 1.
- Article 3.
- Article 4, which requires the sponsor of a visitor to report directly to the competent authority when the visitor overstays or is absent from departure after his period ends, and treats failure to report as concealment by the sponsor.
The practical procedure for applying these penalties is tied to Article 11, which makes the examination of violations in the rules the jurisdiction of committees formed in the General Directorate of Passports and its branches, whose decisions are approved by the Minister of Interior or his delegate, and the Minister may by decision transfer this jurisdiction to committees formed for this purpose in the Ministry of Interior.
To know which penalty may apply to a particular case, one must refer to the text of Articles (4) and (5) of that regulation, or the person concerned may consult a specialist lawyer in residency laws and administrative cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCriminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 10 of the Saudi Rules on Expatriate Violators
What penalties apply to someone who conceals an overstaying visitor?
The article refers to the penalties provided in Articles (4) and (5) of the Regulation of the Treatment of Arrivals to the Kingdom, issued by Royal Decree No. (M/42) dated 18/10/1404 AH.
Who applies these penalties?
The Ministry of Interior. Committees in the General Directorate of Passports and its branches examine the violations, and their decisions are approved by the Minister of Interior or his delegate under Article 11.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 1
Article 1 tasks the Ministry of Interior with arresting, detaining, penalizing and deporting expatriate violators, and with arresting anyone who employs, harbors, shelters, transports or helps them.
تتولى وزارة الداخلية - ممثلة في قطاعاتها الأمنية - ما يأتي : 1 ) ضبط الوافدين الذين يعملون لحسابهم الخاص (العمالة السائبة)، والمتغيبين عن العمل، والمتأخرين عن ا
- Article 3
Article 3 requires companies and establishments that provide services to pilgrims and Umrah performers to report to the competent authority any pilgrim or Umrah performer who overstays after the end of the stay period.
على شركات ومؤسسات خدمات الحجاج والمعتمرين إبلاغ الجهة المختصة عن تأخر أي حاج معتمر عن المغادرة بعد انتهاء المدة المحددة لإقامته .
- Article 4
Article 4 requires the sponsor of a visitor to report immediately if the visitor overstays or is absent from departure after the stay period ends, and treats failure to report as concealment on his part.
على المستقدم للزائر إبلاغ الجهة المختصة في حالة تأخر أو تغيب الوافد عن المغادرة بعد انتهاء المدة المحددة لإقامته مباشرة، ويعد عدم الإبلاغ تستراً من المستقدم .
More articles on Penalties for Violating Residence and Labor Rules
- Article 4
Article 4 requires the sponsor of a visitor to report immediately if the visitor overstays or is absent from departure after the stay period ends, and treats failure to report as concealment on his part.
على المستقدم للزائر إبلاغ الجهة المختصة في حالة تأخر أو تغيب الوافد عن المغادرة بعد انتهاء المدة المحددة لإقامته مباشرة، ويعد عدم الإبلاغ تستراً من المستقدم .
- Article 7
Article 7 provides that anyone proved to have employed violators, let his workers work for themselves or for others, or used other people's workers is deprived of recruitment for up to five years.
يُحرم من الاستقدام لغرض العمل أو الزيارة لمدة لا تزيد على خمس سنوات ؛ كل من ثبت عليه تشغيل الوافدين المخالفين للأنظمة، أو ترك عماله يعملون لحسابهم الخاص أو لدى
- Article 11
Article 11 assigns the examination of violations of the rules to committees in the General Directorate of Passports and its branches, with decisions approved by the Minister of Interior or his delegate, and allows the jurisdiction to be transferred.
تتولى اللجان المشكلة في المديرية العامة للجوازات وفروعها النظر في المخالفات الواردة هذه القواعد، ويعتمد قراراتها سمو وزير الداخلية أو من يفوضه، ويجوز بقرار من و
- Article 12
Article 12 allows anyone against whom a passports committee issues an administrative decision to file a grievance with the Minister of Interior within no more than thirty working days of being notified of or learning of the decision.
يجوز لمن صدر في حقه قرار إداري من اللجان المشار إليها في البند (الحادي عشر) من هذه القواعد ؛ التظلم لدى وزير الداخلية خلال مدة لا تتجاوز ثلاثين يوماً عمل من تار
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.