Col. Badr Al-Malik, director of media affairs and the department’s spokesman, said all passport offices across the country would implement the program in different phases. “The first phase will start when they apply for new resident permits (iqamas) or transfer of sponsorship or change of profession or for the replacement of a lost iqama,” the spokesman said.
Al-Malik said all passport offices have been readied to carry out fingerprinting process. He urged business owners to instruct their expatriate women staff to complete the process at the nearest passport office.
Those interested may visit the department’s website (www.gdp.gov.sa) to know the centers where fingerprinting facility is available.
According to Al-Malik, the system would protect the rights and interests of both Saudis and expatriates and prevent the possibility of information tampering.
The project is also aimed at realizing a number of vital objectives foremost of which are:
• Building a central database to keep fingerprints of all Saudi citizens, expatriates in Saudi Arabia besides those who infringe regulations;
• Speeding up identity verification process
• Reducing illegal overstay of expatriates.
“This system will enable security officers to verify the identity of a person in less than five seconds,” an Interior Ministry official said. The system has been linked with hand-held fingerprint reading devices, and those devices in vehicles, to confirm the identity of a person.
