In its ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of government services and facilitate the lives of citizens and residents, the General Directorate of Passports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed the importance of its "Tawasul" electronic service. This service, available through the Ministry of Interior's "Absher" platform, is the ideal digital solution for users facing technical or procedural obstacles that prevent them from completing their transactions electronically, thus eliminating the need to visit passport offices and endure waiting times.

Steps to benefit from the communication service via the Absher platform

The passport office explained that the service is designed with a user-friendly and flexible interface, allowing users to submit requests to address any technical issues encountered during their transactions. To utilize the service, the following steps must be followed precisely:

• Log in to your personal account on the “Absher” electronic platform.
• Go to the main “My Services” menu.
• Click on the “Services” option.
• Select “Passports Sector” from the drop-down menu.
• Click on the “Communication Service” icon.
• Click the “Submit a new request” button.

After accessing the request form, the beneficiary must select the relevant department and the sub-service that is experiencing a problem, and must attach all supporting documents and write a detailed explanation of the problem in the designated box, after which the request will be sent to the relevant team for processing and response electronically.

Historical context and the shift from paper to digital

This ease of completing transactions was unavailable a decade ago; visiting passport offices required in-person attendance, standing in long queues, and dealing with paper documents that were susceptible to damage or loss. With the launch of the “Absher” platform, the Ministry of Interior revolutionized services, moving them from traditional service windows to smartphones. Today, the platform serves millions of users and processes thousands of transactions daily, reflecting a significant leap forward in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure.

Communication service and the Kingdom's Vision 2030

Activating and developing the “Tawasul” service falls within the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, specifically the National Transformation Program, which aims to build a fully integrated and efficient digital government. These efforts seek to achieve a vibrant digital society where technology is harnessed to serve people, reduce bureaucracy, and elevate government performance indicators to global standards. “Tawasul” acts as a digital safety net, ensuring that beneficiaries' interests are not disrupted in the event of any malfunction in standard automated systems.

The economic and social impact of the service

The importance of this service extends beyond its technical aspects to encompass tangible economic and social dimensions. Economically, the service saves hours wasted on government transactions, thereby increasing employee productivity in both the public and private sectors. Socially, it improves quality of life by reducing traffic congestion caused by travel to passport offices and provides users with peace of mind by allowing them to process their transactions from home. The General Directorate of Passports affirms its full commitment to continuous development and to harnessing all available resources to ensure a seamless and reliable user experience for everyone.

In its ongoing efforts to develop electronic services and streamline procedures for citizens and residents, the General Directorate of Passports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced important details regarding the “Tawasul” service, available through the Ministry of Interior’s electronic platform “Absher.” This step aims to enable beneficiaries to process requests and complete transactions that may encounter technical or procedural obstacles preventing their completion through traditional electronic methods, without the need to visit passport offices in person.

Steps to benefit from the communication service

The General Directorate of Passports explained the precise mechanism for benefiting from this advanced digital service, where the beneficiary can access his personal account on the “Absher” platform and follow the following steps:

• Go to the “My Services” menu.
• Select “Services”.
• Identifying the “passport sector”.
• Click on “Contact Service”.
• Select “Submit a new application”.
• Identify the relevant department and the required sub-service.
• Attach the necessary documents and requirements.
• Write a detailed description of the request or problem before sending.

The context of digital transformation and Vision 2030

This service cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which prioritizes digital transformation and e-government. The Absher platform is a prime example of this approach, having become a global model for delivering digital government services. The activation and development of the Tawasul service is part of the Ministry of Interior's strategy to automate all procedures and reduce reliance on paper transactions and in-person visits, reflecting the significant technological advancements in the Kingdom's digital infrastructure.

The importance of service and its impact on quality of life

This service is of paramount importance on both social and economic levels; it directly contributes to saving time and effort for beneficiaries, whether citizens, residents, or business owners. Instead of waiting in queues to resolve a simple technical issue or complete a missing document, the solution is now available at the click of a button. This approach contributes to increasing the efficiency of government operations, reducing traffic congestion caused by unnecessary travel, and enhancing the concept of "quality of life," which is one of the ambitious Vision 2030 programs.

Passports Department's commitment to institutional excellence

In its concluding statement, the General Directorate of Passports emphasized its commitment to removing any obstacles that users may encounter, noting that enhancing the efficiency of electronic services is an ongoing strategic objective. Through these digital channels, the Passports Directorate aims to provide a seamless and reliable user experience, ensuring the accurate and rapid completion of transactions, thereby strengthening users' confidence in the government's digital infrastructure.