Registering a Child's Birth in Saudi Arabia Guide

Oct 29, 2026•4 min read

Welcoming a new baby is a joyful milestone, and in Saudi Arabia the process of officially registering that birth is more streamlined than many new parents expect. Most of the paperwork begins before you even leave the hospital, and much of what follows can be completed online. This Saudi Living guide walks you through how birth registration works, what the hospital handles for you, how citizens use أبشر to finalise the process, and what residents should keep in mind.

How Birth Registration Begins at the Hospital

In Saudi Arabia, registering a birth starts at the hospital where your child was born. The hospital submits the birth notification electronically to the Ministry of Health and Civil Affairs, so you do not need to visit a government office to start the process.

A few conditions matter here:

The hospital must be authorized to provide childbirth services.
It must be linked to the National Information Center so the notification is transmitted correctly.
The Ministry of Health birth-registration service itself carries no fee.

Before you leave, confirm that the baby's details recorded by the hospital are completely accurate, including names and dates. This step saves significant trouble later.

Finalising Registration Through أبشر (For Saudi Citizens)

Once the hospital submits the notification, Saudi citizen parents can complete the registration electronically by logging into أبشر and going to Civil Affairs → Register Newborn. The electronic service does several things at once:

Registers the newborn in the civil registry.
Updates the Saudi family record.
Sends the registration details to you by SMS.

It is important to note that this electronic newborn service is available only when the child was born inside Saudi Arabia.

Getting the Birth Certificate and Updated Family Record

After registering through أبشر, citizens can request delivery of the birth certificate and the updated family record to their registered Saudi National Address. To use this delivery option:

You need a valid National Address that falls within Saudi Post delivery coverage.
Delivery fees apply, and the exact amount is shown in أبشر before you confirm payment.
Any outstanding Civil Affairs fines must be cleared before the request can be completed.

Because the delivery fee is displayed during the request, always review it on the official portal rather than relying on a quoted figure.

What to Do if the Details Are Wrong

If you notice that the newborn's information is incorrect at any point, do not complete the أبشر request. Instead, go back to the hospital and ask them to correct the birth notification first. Submitting with wrong details can lead to mismatches in the civil registry that are harder to fix afterward.

Deadlines and Late Registration

Timing matters. Saudi citizens may face a late-registration fine if more than 30 days pass after the birth without completing registration. To avoid this, aim to finalise the أبشر step promptly once the hospital notification is submitted. Remember that if any Civil Affairs fines exist on the record, they must be paid before the registration can be completed.

Guidance for Residents (Expats)

Residents also receive their child's birth certificate through the hospital and Civil Affairs process that begins with the hospital notification. Available official information is inconsistent about whether the أبشر electronic newborn registration is open to residents, so the safest approach is to coordinate directly with the hospital and confirm the next steps.

There is no verified fixed fee amount published for resident birth registration in the available official information. For this reason, confirm any applicable charges and procedures on the relevant official Saudi government portal before assuming a price.

Quick Checklist for New Parents

Confirm the hospital is authorized for childbirth and linked to the National Information Center.
Verify the baby's name and birth details before leaving the hospital.
Citizens: complete Civil Affairs → Register Newborn in أبشر within 30 days.
Request delivery of the certificate and updated family record to your valid National Address.
Pay any Civil Affairs fines and review delivery fees shown in أبشر before paying.
Residents: coordinate with the hospital and confirm steps on the official portal.

With the hospital handling the initial notification and أبشر enabling the rest, registering your child's birth in Saudi Arabia is designed to be quick and largely paperless. Act within the deadline, double-check the details, and verify fees on the official portal for a smooth start to your new chapter.

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