How to get your passport application witnessed

Witnessing in Saudi Arabia

Who can act as a witness for my signature on the application form?

The person who witnesses your signature and confirms your identity must, without exception, be a member of one of the professions listed below and must not be related to you. Retired witnesses are not acceptable.  The witness must be resident in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  In the case of passport applications for minors, each parent must sign in the presence of an acceptable witness. 

• Police Officer
• Member of the Clergy
• School Principal/Vice Principal (the director of a crèche is not an accepted witness)
• Judge/Magistrate
• Practicing Lawyer
• Accountant
• Medical Doctor
• Bank Manager/Assistant Bank Manager
• Elected Public Representative

You must:

• Sign Section 8 of the form in the presence of the witness. Everyone aged seven and over must sign their own form.

The witness must:

• Complete Section 9 of the form, including a work landline phone number - mobile phone numbers will not be accepted
• Insert the form number from Section 9 on the back of two of your four photos
• Sign and stamp the back of those two photos

Remember...

Your application form is only valid for six months from the date your witness signs Section 9.

Consent of parents or guardians

This is an additional requirement for children. Everyone under the age of 18 must have the consent of their parents/guardians to get a passport and this consent must be witnessed.

The only exception to this is if the child is married.

Parents/guardians must:

• Fill in and sign the relevant part of Section 7 of the passport application form in the presence of a listed witness
• This is the same witness list as the Section 9 identification requirement.
• The witness to the consent must be from the list of professions given at top of page and the witness must know you personally or professionally (or you may be identified to them by someone else whom you both know).
• Find out what to do if both parents/guardians are unable to sign Section 7.

The witness must:

• Complete, sign and stamp Section 7, including a work landline telephone number - mobile telephone numbers are not acceptable
• Sign each column separately if they witness both parents/guardians' signatures

Lost/stolen and damaged passports

If your passport has been lost, stolen or damaged, you must:

• Complete Section 6 of the application form, explaining how your previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged
• Have it witnessed and stamped by a police officer and have the same police officer witness Section 9 of your application

If you lose two or more passports, it may restrict the period of validity for your next passport and it may delay the processing of your new passport.

Remember...

Do not, under any circumstances, try to travel on a passport that has been reported as lost or stolen.