Article 15 of the Saudi Travel Document Law
المادة 15 من نظام وثائق السفر
The article provides that the Travel Document Law is published in the Official Gazette and takes effect after 18 months have passed from the date of its publication.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينشر هذا النظام في الجريدة الرسمية ، ويعمل به بعد مضي ثمانية عشر شهرا من تاريخ نشره.
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 15 explained in plain English
This article sets two things:
- Publication: the Law is published in the Official Gazette.
- The date it takes effect: it takes effect after 18 months have passed from the date of its publication.
This is a relatively long period between publication and effect, and its evident purpose is to allow time to prepare the Implementing Regulations and get ready to apply the Law. This is clear from Article 14, which requires the Minister of Interior to issue the Implementing Regulations and publish them in the Official Gazette within a period not exceeding 16 months from the date the Law is published, to be applied from the date the Law takes effect.
The timeline according to the two texts is therefore:
- The Law is published in the Official Gazette.
- The Regulations are issued and published within a period not exceeding 16 months from the Law's publication.
- The Law and its Regulations begin together to take effect after 18 months have passed from the Law's publication.
The text shown does not state the date of publication itself, so the issue of the Official Gazette in which the Law was published should be consulted for the actual date it took effect. Anyone who needs to determine which law applies to an incident according to its date can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
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 15 of the Saudi Travel Document Law
When did the Travel Document Law take effect?
After 18 months have passed from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Do the Regulations begin together with the Law?
Yes. Article 14 provides that the Regulations are applied from the date the Law takes effect.
More articles on Types of Travel Documents and Their Issuance
- Article 1
The article sets out the travel documents issued in the Kingdom's name (passport, laissez-passer, diplomatic passport and special passport) and the body that issues each.
وثائق السفر التي تصدر باسم حكومة المملكة العربية السعودية وتخول حاملها السفر هي : 1 - جواز السفر . 2 - تذكرة المرور . 3 - جواز السفر الدبلوماسي . 4 - جواز السفر
- Article 2Amended (1440 AH)
The article provides that a passport is granted to every Saudi who requests it in accordance with the Regulations, and allows the Minister of Interior, when necessary, to issue a temporary passport or laissez-passer to a non-Saudi.
1- يمنح جواز السفر لكل من يقدم طلباً بذلك من حاملي الجنسية العربية السعودية، وذلك وفقاً لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية. 2- لوزير الداخلية عند الاقتضاء إصدار جواز س
- Article 4Amended (1440 AH)
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations to regulate granting a passport and travel permit to persons under custody and to minors whose guardian has died.
يكون منح جواز السفر وتصريح السفر للخاضعين للحضانة والقصّر المتوفى وليّهم، وفقاً لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية.
- Article 5
The article prevents any person from keeping more than one valid passport issued under the Law, and refers to the Regulations for how the issuing body is to make sure of that.
لا يجوز لأي شخص الاحتفاظ بأكثر من جواز سفر ساري المفعول صادر وفقا لهذا النظام، وتحدد اللائحة التنفيذية كيفية تأكد الجهة التي تصدره من ذلك.
- Article 9
The article makes the Kingdom's missions abroad register the passports of Saudis who request it, and tasks the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs with determining the cases and procedures of compulsory registration.
تقوم ممثليات المملكة في الخارج بتسجيل جوازات سفر السعوديين الذين يتقدمون إليها بطلب ذلك، كما تتولى وزارة الداخلية و وزارة الخارجية تحديد الحالات التي يكون فيها
- Article 13
The article provides that the Travel Document Law and its Regulations replace the travel document provisions of the Travel Passports Law of 1358 AH, with its instructions and decisions, from the date they take effect.
يحل هذا النظام ولائحته التنفيذية محل الأحكام المتعلقة بوثائق السفر الواردة في نظام الجوازات السفرية الصادر بالأمر السامي رقم (17 / 3 / 2 ) وتاريخ 19 / 1 / 1358
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.