How to Update Your Passport in Absher? (Naqal Maloomat)
Updating renewed passport details on the Jawazat system is called Naqal Maloomat. It costs SAR 69 and is done through Absher rather than in person. The online service works only once every five years, and several conditions can force a Jawazat visit instead.
Do This Next:
- Clear any traffic fines before starting, since they block the update
- Check your old passport has under 12 months validity remaining
- Have a clear photo of the new passport ready to upload
Why This Matters Before You Travel?
This is not administrative housekeeping you can postpone indefinitely.
You cannot leave Saudi Arabia on a passport whose details do not match your Iqama record. Your exit and re-entry visa links to the passport number held on file.
Renew your passport at your embassy, then update Absher promptly. Skipping the second step turns a routine trip into an airport problem.
What Naqal Maloomat Actually Means?
The Arabic term appears constantly in this context, so it is worth defining.
Naqal Maloomat (نقل معلومات) translates as transfer of information. In practice, it means moving your new passport details onto the Jawazat record attached to your Iqama.
The process once required a physical visit to a Jawazat office. It now runs through Absher for most cases.
Who Can Actually Do It?
Authority here follows the same sponsorship logic as most residency processes.
Your sponsor or employer updates your passport details. If you are an employee, this is your employer’s responsibility rather than something you file yourself.
A head of household updates details for dependents. Foreign investors can generally update their own records directly.
Employers have a second route available. A company’s government relations officer can perform the same update through Muqeem instead of Absher.
What It Costs?
The fee is fixed and paid online during the process.
The total is SAR 69, made up of a SAR 60 service fee plus SAR 9 in tax. Payment happens by card within the Absher flow itself.
The Rules That Block an Online Update
Three specific conditions push the process back to an in-person visit. Checking these first saves a failed attempt.
The once-every-five-years limit. The online service can be used only once per five-year period. A second update inside that window needs Jawazat directly.
The 12-month validity rule. A previous passport with more than 12 months of validity remaining cannot be updated online. The service expects a genuine renewal, not an early swap.
Family details in the old passport. If your previous passport listed family members who have since obtained their own new passports, the online option disappears. That situation requires a Jawazat office visit.
The Declaration You Must Agree To
Absher requires a formal pledge before processing, and each clause has real consequences.
You confirm that:
- The previous passport has not been lost
- There is no absence from work report filed against the resident
- The Iqama carries no outstanding traffic violations
- No security restrictions apply to either the employer or the expatriate
- Both parties are alive and in good health
Two of these are worth checking beforehand rather than discovering mid-process. Confirm your status using the huroob check guide and clear anything outstanding via the Iqama fine check guide.
Pro Tip: Settle traffic fines before you start, not during. The declaration blocks submission outright, and payment can take time to reflect on your record afterward.
Updating Your Own Passport Details in Absher
The employer-side route runs through the passports section of Absher.
- Log in to absher.sa and open My Services
- Select Passports
- Open Resident Identity Services
- Choose the passport update option
- Upload a clear photo of the new passport
- Confirm the auto-read passport number and expiry date
- Agree to the declaration and pay the SAR 69 fee
Absher reads the passport number and expiry date automatically from your uploaded image. Check both against the physical document before confirming, since a misread costs a correction later.
Updating a Dependent’s Passport in Absher
The dependent route sits under a different menu entirely.
- Log in to Absher and open Family Member Services
- Select Update Resident Passport Information
- Click Proceed
- Choose the dependent whose details need updating
- Enter the new passport number, expiry date, issue date, and issuing country
- Review carefully, then submit
The Tawasul Alternative
A third route exists when the standard options do not work.
Tawasul is Absher’s messaging service, reachable under My Services, then Passports. You submit a request with the Iqama number, border number where available, and a PDF attachment.
Two formatting rules matter. The PDF filename must be one word with no spaces, and you submit one application per dependent.
Reporting indicates these requests are typically processed within one day. It is slower than the direct route but useful when the online form refuses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Naqal Maloomat?
It is the Arabic term for transferring renewed passport details onto your Jawazat record. The process is now done through Absher rather than in person.
How much does it cost to update a passport in Absher?
SAR 69 in total, comprising a SAR 60 service fee and SAR 9 in tax. Payment is made by card during the online process.
Why can’t I update my passport online?
Three blockers are common, and each forces a Jawazat visit instead. They are reusing the service within five years, excess passport validity, or listed family members.
Can I travel without updating my passport in Absher?
No, your exit and re-entry visa links to the passport number on your Iqama record. Travelling on unmatched details creates problems at the airport.
Final Thoughts
The detail most worth acting on early is the traffic fine condition. It sits inside a declaration rather than an obvious requirement, so people meet it only when submission fails.
Handle the update in the same week you collect your renewed passport from the embassy. Doing so keeps your travel documents aligned before any trip forces the issue.
Last verified: September 2026
Reviewed by: Roman Shah
Source: Absher passport services; General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat); Saudi Press Agency
Note: fees, eligibility windows, and blocking conditions are subject to change. Confirm current requirements directly through Absher or Jawazat before starting an update.
