RIYADH — Any Saudi citizens who travel to countries to where travel is prohibited will be slapped with a maximum fine of SR30,000 and a travel ban for up to two years. The fine is doubled for repeat offenses, with a travel ban of up to five years.
This provision of penalty includes in the executive regulations of the Travel Documents Law, approved by Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif. The countries to where travel is prohibited will be determined by the minister of interior, after completion of the necessary procedures.
It was stipulated in the executive regulations that the penalty will be multiplied in several circumstances. These include if the country is dangerous, or if it is a conflict zone, or if it is subject to travel restrictions due to emergency circumstances. The penalty will be reduced in certain cases, such as if the offender has first-degree family ties to the country, if the offender transits through the country on indirect flights for no more than 48 hours, or if the offender’s age is 60 years or above.
According to the regulations, anyone who provides false information on the declarations related to the issuance of a travel document will be imposed with a maximum fine of SR5000. The fine will be doubled for repeat offenses, and the offender will be banned from traveling for a period not exceeding six months.
Anyone who alters, adds to, deletes from, or changes the information in a travel document without authorization will be referred to the Public Prosecution after the relevant department at the ministry completes the necessary procedures. Similarly, anyone who intentionally damages, falsifies, or alters the photograph on a travel document will be referred to the Public Prosecution after the relevant department at the ministry completes the necessary procedures.
Anyone who intentionally enables another person to use a travel document unlawfully, or sells or pawns it, will be fined with up to SR100,000 and banned from traveling for a period not exceeding five years. The fine will be doubled for repeat offenses. Likewise, anyone who uses, attempts to use, or assists in the unlawful use of a travel document belonging to another person will be fined with up to SR100,000 and banned from traveling for a period not exceeding five years. The fine will be doubled for repeat offenses.
The penalties included imposing a fine not exceeding SR100,000 and preventing the violator from traveling for a period not exceeding five years, and doubling the fine in case of recidivism for anyone who leaves the Kingdom or enters it from other than the designated ports of entry without an acceptable excuse.
The executive regulations outlined the conditions and procedures for issuing passports and travel documents, as well as the steps to take in case of loss, and the penalties for losses due to negligence. The regulations emphasize that entry into or exit from the Kingdom is only permitted through official ports of entry. If compelling circumstances necessitate entry through unofficial ports or without a travel document, the individual must immediately report this to the nearest security authority.
The regulations further stipulate that every citizen within the Kingdom must keep their passport in a safe place and not carry it with them when traveling, as the national identity card is the sole means of identification within the Kingdom.
Saudi citizens traveling outside the Kingdom with permanent or semi-permanent residency must register their passports with the Saudi embassies or consulates in the respective countries of their visit.
The regulations stipulate that travel is prohibited using a passport that has been reported lost electronically. If the owner finds it, he must present it to the Passport Department for manual cancellation, and the necessary procedures will be completed electronically.
The regulations also state that embassies and consulates must provide citizens who have lost or damaged their passports abroad with travel documents enabling their return to the Kingdom, except for those who can prove permanent or semi-permanent residency abroad. If the embassies decide to issue a new passport to the individual, they must send the information regarding the loss or theft to the Directorate of Passports for issuance of an administrative decision, and then inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the decision after its approval.
Source: Saudi Gazette