Registering a Child's Birth in Saudi Arabia: Guide

Welcoming a new baby is one of life's biggest milestones, and in Saudi Arabia the paperwork side of it is refreshingly straightforward. Whether you are a Saudi citizen or a resident expat, registering your newborn's birth is handled digitally through the Absher platform, and in most cases the official birth certificate is issued electronically without a trip to a government office. This Saudi Living guide walks you through exactly how it works, who is covered, the deadline you need to remember, and what to do if you miss it.

Where to Register: Absher and Civil Affairs

The primary channel for registering a newborn is your personal Absher Individuals account. Absher is the main Saudi government services platform, and newborn registration falls under the Civil Affairs section. You do not need to visit any other portal — Muqeem, Qiwa, Najiz, Nafath, Tawakkalna and similar services are not the channel for this step. Everything starts and finishes inside Absher for the vast majority of families.

The service issues the birth certificate electronically. For residents, that means the digital birth certificate itself; for citizens, the registration also updates the Family Record in addition to producing the birth certificate.

Step-by-Step: How to Register Your Newborn

The online flow is short and designed to be completed in one sitting. Have your baby's details ready before you begin.

• Log in to your Absher Individuals account.
• Go to My Services > Civil Affairs.
• Choose Register Newborn.
• Enter the newborn's details as requested.
• Review the information carefully and confirm.
• The birth certificate is then issued electronically.

When the delivery option is enabled, the service can also arrange for the official document to be sent to your registered address, so keep your address details in Absher up to date before you start.

The 15-Day Deadline

This is the single most important date to remember. The official service description states that a birth should be registered within 15 days of the birth through the electronic service. Registering promptly keeps everything simple and lets you complete the whole process online.

Our advice: don't leave it to the last moment. The early weeks with a newborn are busy, so setting a reminder for the first few days after the birth helps you stay comfortably inside the window.

Who Is Covered

The newborn registration service covers both citizens and residents.

• Citizens: the registration includes updating the Family Record and issuing the Birth Certificate.
• Residents (expats): the service issues the Birth Certificate.

This makes the process consistent for families across the Kingdom, whether you are a Saudi national or an expatriate raising your family here.

Cost of Registration

The newborn registration service is described as free, and the current service page shows no service fee. The Absher platform itself is also free to use. In other words, registering your baby within the 15-day window should not carry a charge.

Be aware that older public guides mention a late-registration fee for births registered after the deadline. However, the current official pages do not show a specific Saudi Riyal amount for any late fee. If your registration is delayed, confirm any applicable charge directly through the Civil Affairs channel on the official portal rather than relying on outdated figures.

If You Miss the 15-Day Window

If registration is delayed beyond 15 days, the available information indicates you will need to make a personal visit to Civil Affairs to complete the registration, rather than finishing it entirely online. To avoid any complications:

• Bring your identification and residency documents.
• Bring any hospital-issued birth notification you received.
• Check current requirements and any potential late fee on the official Civil Affairs channel before you go.

Practical Tips from Saudi Living

• Update your registered address in Absher before registering, so any physical document can be delivered correctly.
• Double-check the spelling of your child's name during confirmation — corrections later are far more time-consuming.
• Keep a digital copy of the electronic birth certificate; you'll need it for later steps such as adding your child to your family records or arranging their own residency documents.
• When in doubt about any fee, timing detail, or requirement, always confirm on the official Saudi government portal (Absher / Civil Affairs).

With a little preparation, registering your newborn in Saudi Arabia is a quick, mostly online task — leaving you free to focus on what matters most: your growing family.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving