How Jawazat’s Tawasul Service Elevates Saudi Arabia’s E-Government Transformation

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) recently clarified administrative steps for successfully completing pending electronic transactions through Absher.

Why it matters: The Tawasul feature resolves complex passport requests online without requiring physical visits to administrative offices.

The big picture: Consequently, this national initiative advances Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 digital strategy by continually streamlining everyday public service workflows.

Resolving Stalled Transactions Online

In an official statement on its X account, Jawazat detailed how beneficiaries can finish unresolved procedures digitally. Specifically, officials designed Tawasul for cases where automated electronic systems cannot finalize a transaction automatically. Therefore, users facing technical exceptions or administrative delays can submit direct online requests to passport departments nationwide. Jawazat emphasized the core purpose of this service in its public announcement.

“The Tawasul service enables users to submit requests and complete procedures online through Absher, helping to streamline processes and save time and effort for beneficiaries,” the directorate noted.

Furthermore, officials clarified that citizens and residents must access Tawasul exclusively through the Absher portal. Jawazat strongly urges all beneficiaries to utilize this channel whenever standard online procedures encounter unexpected technical obstacles.

Consequently, this dedicated digital mechanism reduces crowding at regional offices while ensuring high operational transparency. Additionally, the service provides real-time transaction tracking, giving applicants total visibility into every administrative review stage.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Absher Users

To process an unresolved passport transaction seamlessly, beneficiaries must follow a structured online procedure through the platform:

• Log into Absher: First, the user logs into the official Absher platform using valid personal security credentials.
• Access Passport Services: Next, the applicant selects “My Services” from the main menu and navigates directly to “Passports”.
• Select Tawasul: Afterward, the user opens the “Tawasul” service option and clicks the “Submit New Request” button.
• Choose Category: Then, the beneficiary selects the appropriate department and chooses the specific sub-service needed for the request.
• Provide Description: In addition, the user enters a detailed description outlining the precise issue requiring administrative resolution.
• Attach Documents: Finally, the applicant attaches all necessary electronic documents and transmits the request directly to passport officials.

Subsequently, the automated system issues a unique tracking number, enabling users to monitor their request status online. In fact, support teams review incoming requests promptly to minimize processing delays for citizens and expatriates alike.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Digital Progress

The rapid expansion of Tawasul illustrates Saudi Arabia’s ongoing national digital transformation under Vision 2030. Spearheaded by the National Transformation Program, Kingdom ministries rapidly replace traditional bureaucracy with modern digital platforms. For example, the Ministry of Interior’s Absher platform currently serves over 26 million registered users nationwide. Indeed, the platform offers more than 350 integrated electronic services covering residency permits, visas, and civil records.

As a result, millions of citizens and expatriate workers execute essential administrative tasks from their mobile devices daily. Official government metrics show that Saudi public services have achieved a remarkable 92% digital maturity rating. Moreover, Saudi entities have successfully digitized over 6,000 services across health, judicial, educational, and municipal sectors.

Consequently, the United Nations E-Government Development Index ranks Saudi Arabia among top global leaders in digital governance. Besides saving valuable administrative time, digital governance reduces physical travel, vehicle carbon emissions, and total paper consumption. Furthermore, Saudi agencies continuously integrate artificial intelligence and predictive algorithms into key public infrastructure platforms.

These cutting-edge technologies accelerate transaction reviews while helping administrative officers anticipate beneficiary needs efficiently. Thus, Saudi Arabia serves as an influential model for digital innovation across the Middle East and globally. In addition, ongoing digital investments attract global tech partners and international investors to the Kingdom’s expanding technology ecosystem. Ultimately, services like Tawasul reinforce the Kingdom’s overarching goal of building an agile, modern, user-centric public administration for all residents.