Riyadh: Javasat (Saudi General Directorate of Passports) has ordered the registration of biometric data of expatriate children aged six and over. Expatriates must ensure that their fingerprints are registered before obtaining an Icama (Residency Permit) and applying for a travel permit. For this, Javasat requested all expatriates in the country to register the fingerprints of children aged six years and above as soon as possible.
Until the new order came, the age limit for registering fingerprints for all expatriates and their dependents was 15 years. Saudi Arabia has also made it mandatory for all expatriates, visitors and pilgrims in the country to register their biometrics and fingerprints. All migrant workers and their family members must be fingerprinted to complete Iqama and travel procedures.
Earlier, it was mandatory for visa applicants and foreign Umrah pilgrims to register their fingerprints to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.