Absher for Residents: Most-Used Services Explained

Absher is the Ministry of Interior’s e-services platform, and for most residents it quickly becomes one of the most-used apps on their phone. Whether you need to check a family member’s details, sort out a visa or pay a traffic fine, there’s usually an Absher service for it. This guide explains how to get set up and which services residents rely on most.

Quick answer

Short answer: Register on Absher Individuals with your Iqama number and a Saudi mobile number in your name, then activate your account at a self-service machine, a Saudi bank or a Passports or Civil Affairs office. Once active, residents most often use Absher to view family data, issue exit and re-entry visas for dependents, renew dependents’ Iqamas, check traffic violations and renew a driving licence.

Key takeaways

One number, one identity: Absher says a mobile number can be linked to only one digital identity.
Use your own ID: registering with someone else’s ID is illegal, per Absher’s registration page.
Activation channels: the Absher app, self-service machines, Saudi banks, and Passports or Civil Affairs offices.
Many inquiries are free: HRSD’s services guide lists no fee for data, visa-status and traffic inquiries.

Step one: register and activate your account

Absher’s new user registration page asks for your ID, Iqama or border number, your mobile number and an optional email. You then choose a username, which can’t be changed later, and a strong password.

Two rules on that page are worth knowing. A mobile number can belong to only one digital identity: if you register a number already linked to someone else, it moves to the new account. And the page stresses that you must use your own ID.

Getting started on Absher

Register online: enter your Iqama number and your own Saudi mobile number on the Absher registration page.

Pick a username carefully: Latin characters, at least 8 characters, starting with a letter. It can’t be edited later.

Set a strong password: at least 8 characters with upper-case, lower-case and a number.

Activate your digital identity: through the Absher app, a self-service machine, a Saudi bank branch, or Passports or Civil Affairs staff.

Sign in and check your details: confirm your name, Iqama expiry and family members are correct.

The Absher activation channels page also lists changing your mobile number and resetting your password through the self-service machines and activation staff.

Warning

Never share your Absher password or the verification codes sent to your phone, even with someone who says they’re calling from an official body. Treat every code as private.

Services residents use most

The services below come from the Ministry of Interior entries in HRSD’s Guide to Services Provided for Expatriates. Menu names can shift slightly between the website and app, so search within Absher if you can’t spot one.

Your data and your family’s data

The data dashboard lets you view your own details and those of family members registered under you, without visiting an office. The guide lists it as free for any active Absher account. It’s the quickest way to check Iqama and passport expiry dates for everyone in the household.

Visas for dependents

If you sponsor family members, you can issue an exit and re-entry visa for them through the visa services section. The guide’s conditions include a valid Iqama, a valid passport, and traffic fines being paid first. You can also check the status of an exit and re-entry visa (type, validity and details) at no charge.

Iqama issuance and renewal for dependents

Residents who sponsor family members or registered domestic workers can issue or renew their Iqamas through the sponsored-persons services. The guide’s conditions include paying any fees and fines, settling traffic violations, a valid passport, and the person being in the Kingdom.

Tip

The platform shows the current fee before you pay. We don’t list fees here because they can change; check the amount on screen each time.

Traffic, licences and everyday checks

These services come up for almost every resident who drives, and most are simple inquiries.

Service	What it does	Fee listed in HRSD guide
Data dashboard	View your and your family’s registered data	No fee
Exit and re-entry visa status	Shows visa type, validity and details	No fee
Traffic violations inquiry	Lists violations for you, family or sponsored persons	No fee
Health insurance validity	Checks insurance recorded for a resident	No fee
Driving licence renewal	Renews a private or motorcycle licence	Shown on screen
Absher services authorisation	Lets another user carry out specific services for you	No fee

Common Absher services at a glance

Driving licence renewal is available once the remaining validity is under 180 days, according to the guide. You’ll need to pay any fines, have a fingerprint and photo on record and meet the medical and eyesight requirements.

Authorisation is handy if a family member or colleague helps with paperwork. You grant access to specific services, and the other person must accept.

Absher and your own travel as a worker

HRSD’s Labor Reform Initiative allows expatriate private-sector workers to request an exit and re-entry visa without the employer’s approval, with the employer notified electronically. It also covers final exit after the contract ends. HRSD said these services are available through the Absher app and the Qiwa portal.

If you’re also managing your work record, our guide to Qiwa for employees explains contracts and certificates.

Keep your Absher account healthy

Mobile number registered in your own name and up to date
Family members’ Iqama and passport expiry dates checked
Traffic violations checked before any visa or renewal
Authorisations reviewed and old ones revoked
Password changed if you think anyone else knows it

Where to get help

Absher lists a contact number, 920020405, on its official pages. For problems with activation or fingerprints, the activation channels page points to Passports and Civil Affairs offices.

If you’re settling in and building a life here, our practical guides to registering a business and finding trusted local suppliers are good next reads.

Last checked: 6 October 2026 (Asia/Riyadh). Infosaudia is an independent guide, not a government website. Always confirm the current steps and conditions on Absher.

Absher for Residents: The Services You’ll Use Most and How to Get Started

Key takeaways