Saudi Interior Minister Inaugurates New E-Passport

Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
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Saudi Interior Minister Inaugurates New E-Passport

Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif inaugurated on Thursday the new version of the electronic passport as he visited the Directorate General of Passports in Riyadh.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Lieutenant-General Sulaiman Al-Yahya, Director General of Passports in Saudi Arabia, said the new passport, which will be disbursed gradually after the inauguration process, contained watermarks and precise security features that make it difficult to forge in any way.

He added that the new passport consisted of 48 pages, each featuring a historical landmark, including the No.7 oil well, which placed the Kingdom on the world oil map, in addition to Saudi Arabia’s airports, modern industries and petrochemicals.

Al-Yahya noted that the new version of the e-passport was achieved with Saudi expertise, and would include all vital information and characteristics, making it easier for the citizen to complete the procedures while traveling to any country in the world.

One of the advantages of the new passport is the “verification with the fingerprint” in the event of theft Al-Yahya stressed that this feature would facilitate the identification of the owner of the passport by matching his fingerprint.

The launching of the e-passport is the result of concerted efforts by the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), and was designed with the highest technical specifications and modern security features used in global travel documents, in implementation of one of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

During his visit to the Directorate, the interior minister met with the employees of the command-and-control center, workers at the unified call center 992, and the staff members of the beneficiary services center within the passport directorate.



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.