A border number is an identifier recorded in the Saudi passport system for an arriving non-Saudi. Absher provides a public Border Number Query for GCC citizens, non-GCC citizens and pilgrims. Use the category that matches the traveller; the form and required travel details differ.
- You can start from the public Absher enquiry without signing in to another person’s account.
- A border number identifies an arrival record. It is not an Iqama and does not make a visitor a resident or employee.
- Enter passport and visa information exactly as issued and do not post the result publicly.
Who should use each category
Select GCC citizen only for a national of a Gulf Cooperation Council member state entering under the applicable GCC arrangements. Select non-GCC citizen for another foreign traveller with Saudi visa or entry details. Select the pilgrim route only where the traveller’s official pilgrimage entry record fits that option.
A British citizen is not a GCC citizen, even if they live in a GCC country. A resident of Saudi Arabia returning on an Iqama and exit/re-entry visa is also different from a first arrival or visitor record. If an Iqama has already been issued, use the Iqama for resident services unless the relevant government form specifically asks for the earlier border number.
For employment arrivals, the border number may be visible to the employer in official arrival enquiries. That does not transfer the employee’s identity or sponsorship responsibilities to an informal agent. Employers should use their authorised business service; individuals should use the public query only for a legitimate purpose.
Information to prepare
Have the traveller’s passport and Saudi visa or entry record available. The non-GCC query may request the visa number and visa issue date. Other categories show different identity, passport, nationality or arrival fields. Follow the current form rather than forcing non-GCC details into the GCC or pilgrim screen.
Dates must match the calendar type and format selected on the page. If a visa was reissued or passport details changed, use the information attached to the actual arrival record. Avoid guessing an issue date from an email or flight itinerary.
Practical steps
- Open Absher’s official Query Border Number page and confirm that the address ends in absher.sa.
- Select GCC citizen, non-GCC citizen or pilgrim according to the traveller’s legal travel status.
- Enter each field exactly as shown on the passport and official visa or entry record. For a non-GCC traveller, this normally includes the visa number and issue date; use whatever additional fields the live form requests.
- Select the correct date format where offered, complete the visual verification code and submit the enquiry.
- Check the returned name and border number against the traveller’s documents. Save it securely for the specific official transaction that requested it.
Do not use a family-visit extension screen merely to discover a number when the dedicated public query is available. Do not describe the border number as permission to work, perform Hajj, remain beyond a visitor’s permitted stay or obtain residency. Each of those matters has separate eligibility and authorisation.
If no result appears
Check the category, spelling, visa number, issue date and calendar format. A new arrival can also have data that has not yet appeared in the queried record. If the details are correct but no result is returned, the traveller should contact official Absher or Jawazat support. An employee may also ask the authorised employer representative to check the establishment’s official arrival record.
When to get help
Seek official help if the result belongs to another person, the passport or nationality is wrong, or an authority requires a border number but the service returns none. Do not pay an unofficial party to alter a record or share an Absher one-time code.
UK2KSA is an independent information provider. It cannot create, amend or certify a Saudi border number.