Article 6 of the Saudi Social Security Law
المادة 6 من نظام الضمان الاجتماعي · الباب الثاني: التقديم وتحديد الاحتياج
The article requires the Ministry to notify the applicant within 20 days of submission of its decision to accept the application under the entitlement criteria or to reject it with reasons.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تُبلغ الوزارة مقدم الطلب خلال (عشرين) يومًا من تاريخ تقديمه بقرارها بقبول الطلب وفقًا لمعايير الاستحقاق، أو برفضه مع التسبيب. وتحدد اللائحة الإجراءات المتبعة في ذلك.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article sets a fixed period for responding to a pension application: the Ministry must notify the applicant of its decision within 20 days from the date the application was submitted. Because Article 1 defines "day" as a working day, this period is counted in working days.
The decision is one of two things:
- Acceptance: if the entitlement criteria are met.
- Rejection with reasons: that is, the Ministry does not simply reject but must state its reasons.
The importance of giving reasons is that the applicant knows why the application was rejected, so he can correct his situation or object. The article refers to the Implementing Regulations to specify the procedures followed in notification.
This period comes after the stage of collecting data and examining the case provided for in Article 5. After the application is accepted, the beneficiary's role begins in being obliged to notify the Ministry of any change in his circumstances that affects his entitlement or the amount of his pension, as Article 7 requires.
If the applicant considers that the rejection decision is incorrect, or that the Ministry did not notify him within the period, he can use the means of grievance the Law provides, and it is advisable to consult, where needed, a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and social security laws.
Practical example
Nasser applied for a social security pension. The Ministry must notify him, within 20 working days of the date the application was submitted, of its decision: either accepting the application under the entitlement criteria, or rejecting it with the reason stated, so that Nasser knows why his application was rejected.
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 6 of the Saudi Social Security Law
How long is the response period for a social security application?
The Ministry must notify the applicant of its decision within 20 days from the date of submission, and days under the Law are working days.
Must the Ministry state the reason my application was rejected?
Yes. The article provides that rejection must be with reasons.
How will I be notified of the result of my social security application?
The article does not specify the means of notification, and refers its procedures to the Implementing Regulations.
More articles on Applying for Social Security
- Article 3
The article requires the pension application to be submitted to the competent department of the Ministry with supporting data and documents, and leaves the procedural details and documents to the Implementing Regulations.
تُقدم طلبات المعاش إلى الجهة المختصة في الوزارة، متضمنة البيانات والمستندات اللازمة التي تدعم طلب المعاش. وتحدد اللائحة إجراءات تقديم الطلب والبيانات والشروط وا
- Article 4
The article treats submitting a pension application as the applicant's consent to the Ministry obtaining information relating to it from government or private bodies.
يعد تقديم طلب المعاش موافقة على حصول الوزارة على المعلومات المتعلقة به من الجهات الحكومية أو الخاصة. وتحدد اللائحة الإجراءات المتبعة في ذلك.
- Article 5
The article assigns the Ministry to collect data on the situations of independent persons and families and examine them to estimate entitlement, from applications and the data of government bodies, associations, civil institutions, and others.
تتولى الوزارة جمع البيانات لمعرفة حالات المستقلين والأسر ودراستها لغرض تقدير الاستحقاق، وذلك من خلال الطلبات المقدمة إليها والبيانات الإضافية التي لدى الجهات ال
- Article 7
The original applicant and the beneficiary must notify the Ministry within 15 days of any change in their circumstances that affects entitlement to the pension or its amount.
على مقدم الطلب الأصيل والمستفيد إبلاغ الوزارة بأي تغيير في أوضاع أي منهما يؤثر على استحقاقهما للمعاش أو مقداره، وذلك خلال (خمسة عشر) يوماً من تاريخ التغيير.
- Article 8
The article requires the Ministry to follow up regularly on the beneficiary's situation to verify continued entitlement to the pension and the correctness of its amount, and refers its regulation to the Regulations.
على الوزارة القيام بمتابعة منتظمة لحالة المستفيد للتأكد من مدى استحقاقه للمعاش ومقداره. وتحدد اللائحة الأحكام المنظمة لذلك.
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.