MOI clarified national ID cards usage and penalty for not renewing

The Agency for Civil Status under the Ministry of the Interior has provided clarifications regarding the use of photographs of Saudi citizens’ national ID cards for the TikTok social media application. This clarification came in response to a citizen’s complaint about TikTok’s request to capture images of the national ID card from various angles and attach them to the application.

Details

Furthermore, the Civil Status agency emphasized that banks are not authorized to make photocopies of the national ID card. Instead, they are only allowed to review the card’s data and return it to the cardholder. This clarification stemmed from a citizen’s report that a bank employee had requested to photograph her ID card when opening an account.

The agency also conveyed that national ID cards can be renewed within a period of 180 days before their expiration. In response to a citizen’s request to renew their mother’s national ID card, even though it was valid for ten years, it was discovered that the ID card remained valid until the year 1455 AH and did not contain any information in the English language. Notably, some banks refused to open accounts for individuals holding older versions of national ID cards, even if they were valid for the next ten years.

The Civil Status agency reiterated that ID card renewal is only necessary within the 180-day window before expiration. They further indicated that the ID renewal process typically takes up to five working days. A fee of SR100 will be imposed for reissuing an ID card to replace a damaged original card.

In addition, the Civil Status agency revealed that citizens facing online service suspension due to ID card expiration can renew their national ID by scheduling an appointment and visiting the Civil Status office to complete the required procedures.