JEDDAH, 30 January 2005 — More than 6,000 Saudi passports have been lost or stolen in the past five years, Okaz reported quoting statistics issued by the Passports Department.
Brig. Gen. Saad Al-Dossari, head of the Passports Department in Makkah, said citizens who lost their passports while traveling abroad would be held for questioning and subjected to legal procedures.
Saudis who lose their passports abroad are required to report the matter to the nearest Saudi consulate or embassy.
Brig. Gen. Al-Dossari clarified that Saudis are not allowed to hand in their passports to foreigners. “If they must hand in the passport, they should insist on a receipt as proof. In case the passport is lost or stolen, citizens are required to inform the police and also report the case to the nearest embassy or consular office.”
He warned that Saudis must stay away from bad elements and suspicious areas to avoid getting into trouble.
The Passports Department chief said in most cases Saudis lost their passports due to their own negligence. The Passports Department starts immediate investigation when Saudis return home on temporary pass after losing their passports.
Muhammad Al-Zahrani lost his passport while visiting a European country. He said: “I gave my passport to the hotel receptionist as is the normal procedure. When I checked out, I asked for my passport. The receptionist told me that he had given me the passport, which was not true. When I confirmed that I did not receive my passport, he told me that someone came demanding the passport and saying that it was his. I contacted the local police station and the embassy. The embassy contacted the Foreign Ministry which in turn informed the Interior Ministry. After 18 days abroad, the embassy issued a temporary pass.
“When I arrived in the Kingdom, the Passports Department ordered me to visit them the next day. They started a long investigation. Until now I am waiting for the Passports Department to issue me a passport replacing the lost one,” he said.
Hamdan Al-Ghamdi believes that there is an international gang that is after Saudi passports. He said these gangs are visiting hotels where most Saudis stay and demand the passport from the receptionist claiming that they are the passport owners.
