Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Acting Director General of Passports (Jawazat) Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Murabba announced that the directorate will launch shortly a digital platform called the "Self-Deportation Platform" for the deportation of illegal residents. “This will enable the directorate to move away from the traditional methods previously used to deport violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations.

Its launch will occur as soon as the security, technical, and operational aspects are finalized,” he said adding that this will allow illegal residents to access the platform and complete their travel procedures through it. The Jawazat chief made the remarks while addressing the Digital Government Forum 2025 in Riyadh on Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Al-Murabba revealed that the directorate will soon launch a smart track that will allow travelers to pass through and have their identities verified via smart cameras. These cameras can verify the identities of up to 35 people simultaneously and complete their crossing procedures without the need to interact with passport control officers.

The passports chief also unveiled plans to introduce a new technology called "Digital Twins," which relies on models and data analysis to provide insights into crowd movement in terminals, calculate passenger waiting times at passport control, and monitor passenger satisfaction with the services provided. He noted that this technology was tested during the Hajj season of 1445 AH (2024).

Maj. Gen. Al-Murabba pointed out that the digital passport is currently available on the "Absher" platform to facilitate international travel procedures, adding that work is underway to conclude international agreements between the Kingdom and other countries to expand the use of the digital passport.

He emphasized that departure procedures will be streamlined, eliminating the need to pass through passport control at departure lounges. This will be achieved by activating boarding procedures and automated verification using smart devices and digital cameras, and by linking technical and security systems to facilitate passenger movement and enhance the travel experience.

The Jawazat chief revealed that there are serious plans to exchange passenger data through a "unified gateway between countries." This will be facilitated by agreements to streamline the exchange of passenger data as soon as they transit through the Kingdom to other countries.

He highlighted the development of digital services within the Ministry of Interior, noting that anyone visiting Saudi Arabia can witness the progress in the passport sector. He pointed out that the Jawazat’s strategy aims to transform the Kingdom's ports of entry into smart gateways that utilize artificial intelligence tools to expedite passenger procedures.

Maj. Gen. Al-Murabba expressed his pride in providing more than 100 digital services through the Absher platform, which benefited more than 24 million beneficiaries during the year 2024. He also noted that the launch of the "Smart Voice Agent" service helps beneficiaries around the clock without the need for employee intervention. “Anyone can benefit from this service by calling the number 992,” he added.