Requirements for a national ID photo and steps to change your name via Absher

The Civil Status Agency of the Ministry of Interior in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued an important clarification regarding the technical standards and specifications required for personal photographs when renewing national identity cards. This announcement comes as part of the agency's commitment to facilitating procedures for citizens and ensuring the swift processing of applications without the need to return requests due to photographs not meeting the required specifications.

Personal photo requirements for national ID renewal

The Civil Status Department confirmed that accepting a photo for ID renewal requires adherence to a set of precise standards to ensure the clarity of features and their compatibility with security and digital systems. These correct cases are summarized as follows:

• The background should be completely white and free of any impurities.
• The photo should be recently taken, with a maximum date of 6 months, to ensure that the current features match.
• The facial features must be completely clear, and must be free of exaggerated expressions or cosmetics that may alter the basic features.
• The image should be clear and of high quality, free from any ink stains, holes, or technical defects.
• Take the picture straight up and facing the camera directly, taking care to avoid the "red-eye" effect caused by light reflection.

These controls are of paramount importance given that the national identity card is the primary official document for identifying a citizen in all governmental and private transactions, which necessitates high accuracy in vital data and personal photos.

First name change service available electronically via "Absher"

In a related development, the Civil Status Department highlighted its "Change of First Name" service available through the "Absher" platform. This service allows citizens to change their own first name or the first name of a family member under 18 years of age without needing to visit a Civil Status office, thus saving time and effort.

Duration and fees

The agency explained that the service is offered free of charge to all citizens, and the implementation time varies depending on the type of name required:

• Instant service: If the new name is already identified within the lists of names approved by the Civil Status Department.
• Within 5 working days: If the name is not identified in the lists, it requires review and verification before approval.

Terms and conditions for changing the name

To ensure the process of changing names is organized, the Civil Status Department has set several requirements that must be met to complete the application:

• The beneficiary is allowed to modify the first name only twice; provided that the second time is exclusively for returning to the previous name.
• The new name must comply with the standards and regulations for registering names approved in the Kingdom (such as not violating Sharia or public taste).
• The new name must not be identical to the name of a living first-degree relative (father, mother, brothers, sisters), to avoid confusion.
• In the case of changing the name of those under 18 years of age, parental consent is required, unless one of them has passed away.
• There is no other pending request to amend any of the names of the same beneficiary.

These services reflect the significant development in the civil status system, which seeks to keep pace with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by automating procedures and reducing reliance on paper transactions, thereby increasing the efficiency of government work and improving the experience of beneficiaries.