Border Number Check Saudi Arabia – Find Your Border Number Online (2026)

The moment you land in Saudi Arabia on a new visa, Jawazat quietly assigns you a 10-digit number that you’ll need for almost everything — and most expats don’t realize it until someone asks for it. If you’re trying to do a border number check right now, chances are your employer’s HR just called, or you’re stuck on a government form with an empty field staring back at you.

Your border number (رقم الحدود) is your identity in Saudi Arabia before your Iqama arrives. Without it, you can’t extend a visa, process a residence permit, or even complete your medical exam. The good news? You can find it online in under two minutes — no account needed.

Let me walk you through exactly how to do it.

What Exactly Is a Border Number?

A border number is a unique 10-digit code assigned by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) to every passport holder entering Saudi Arabia on a new visa. It’s essentially your digital entry stamp.

In Saudi Arabia, this system works differently than what most expats expect. Immigration officials used to handwrite this number on your visa page, but the process is now fully digital. If you’ve flipped through your passport and found nothing — that’s completely normal for recent arrivals.

A few things worth knowing about your border number:

• You get a new one every time you enter on a new visa. Old border numbers don’t carry over.
• It’s always exactly 10 digits. If someone gives you a number that’s shorter or longer, it’s not your border number.
• It’s not the same as your Iqama number. The border number is assigned at entry; the Iqama number comes later when your residence permit is issued.

Based on real expat experience in KSA, this shift to a fully digital border number catches many new arrivals off guard. They flip through every page of their passport looking for a handwritten number and panic when they can’t find it. The good news? You can retrieve it online in under two minutes.

Why You Need Your Border Number

Many expats in Saudi Arabia underestimate how often this number comes up. Here’s when you’ll need it:

• Iqama issuance — your employer can’t process your residence permit without it
• Visit visa extensions — Absher requires it for any visa modification
• Medical reports — clinics need it to link your exam results to your immigration file
• Work permit checks — the MOL website uses it to look up your employment status
• Dependent fees — paying fees for newborns or family members requires it
• Hajj permit — visitors applying for Hajj permits on a visit visa need it

In short, your border number is your temporary ID in Saudi Arabia until your Iqama is ready. Treat it like you’d treat your passport number.

Method 1: Check Border Number Through Absher (No Account Needed)

This is the fastest method, and it works without any registration or login. Here’s the exact process:

Step 1: Go to https://absher.sa and click “Individuals.” Switch the language to English if needed.

Step 2: Under Instant Absher Services, click “Visitors” → “Query Border Number” → “Start Service.”

Step 3: Choose your category:

• Pilgrim — for Hajj or Umrah visa holders
• GCC Citizen — for citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, or UAE
• Non-GCC Citizen — for everyone else (most expats pick this one)

Step 4: Enter your details:

• Non-GCC: Your visa number + visa issue date (from your visa document, not your passport number)
• GCC: Your passport or GCC ID number + country

Step 5: Type the CAPTCHA image code and click “Inquire.”

Your border number appears instantly if your entry has been recorded. The whole process takes about 90 seconds.

Quick tip: Many expats in Saudi Arabia accidentally enter their passport number instead of their visa number. These are different. Your visa number is specifically labeled “Visa No.” on your visa sticker or e-visa document. Double-check every digit.

Many expats in Saudi Arabia worry about their legal status without even realizing it. If you’re unsure whether your employer has reported you as absconded, it’s important to check early. This step-by-step guide explains how to check Huroob status online in Saudi Arabia using official systems, so you can avoid fines, travel bans, or future visa problems.

Method 2: Check Border Number Through Your Absher Account

If you already have an active Absher account (which requires an Iqama or Saudi national ID), you can view border numbers for yourself and your dependents through the dashboard.

For Your Own Border Number

1. Log in to your Absher account at absher.sa
2. Navigate to “My Services”
3. Look under “Passport Services” or “General Services”
4. Your entry records, including border numbers, should be visible in your profile

For Dependent Border Numbers

This method is particularly useful for sponsors who need to find border numbers for their family members:

1. Log in to Absher
2. Click on “Family Members” tab
3. Select “Resident ID Services”
4. Choose the dependent whose border number you need
5. The border number will be displayed alongside each dependent’s details

Through Family Services (Visit Visa Holders)

If you have family members on visit visas, you can find their border numbers through:

1. Log in to Absher
2. Go to the “Family Services” tab
3. Select “Extend Visit Visa”
4. Click “Continue”
5. On this page, border numbers for visit visa holders will be displayed among other details

Method 3: Check Border Number via Tawakkalna App

The Tawakkalna app, Saudi Arabia’s official government services mobile application, also displays border number information for users with active accounts.

1. Open the Tawakkalna app on your smartphone
2. Log in with your Absher credentials
3. Navigate to your profile or digital ID section
4. Your border number may be visible under your entry or visa details

This method requires you to have an active Tawakkalna account linked to your Absher profile, so it won’t work for brand-new arrivals who haven’t set up their accounts yet.

Method 4: Check Iqama Number Using Border Number (MOL Website)

While this method doesn’t directly show your border number (you need to already know it), it’s the essential next step that most expats need after they’ve retrieved their border number. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) website — still commonly known as MOL (Ministry of Labor) among expats — lets you check whether your Iqama has been issued.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Visit the MOL inquiry page: https://www.mol.gov.sa/individualuser/basicinfo.aspx
2. Check the consent checkbox and click the green button to proceed
3. Switch the language to English if needed
4. Enter your Border Number in the top field
5. Enter your Date of Birth (Gregorian or Hijri calendar)
6. Type the CAPTCHA verification code
7. Click “Next”

If your Iqama has been issued, the system will display your full name, gender, nationality, date of birth, and your Iqama number. If nothing appears, it means your Iqama hasn’t been processed yet by Jawazat.

Important Note for New Arrivals

Based on real expat experience in KSA, the Maktab Amal (work permit) card is always issued before the Iqama. So if you can see your work permit information on MOL but your Iqama number isn’t showing yet, don’t panic — it means your employer is still processing it. Your employer is required by Saudi labor law to issue your Iqama within 90 days of your arrival. If this deadline passes without an Iqama, you’re legally entitled to transfer your sponsorship without your employer’s consent.

Where Is the Border Number on Your Passport?

In the past, Saudi immigration officers usually wrote the border number by hand on the visa page when you entered the Kingdom. It was often written in blue or black ink near the entry stamp on your passport.

Over time, this process has changed. As Jawazat has shifted most services to digital systems, many entry points at major airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam no longer handwrite the border number on passports.

If you arrived in Saudi Arabia recently and cannot find a handwritten border number, this is completely normal. Your border number is still recorded in the Jawazat system and can be retrieved online using Method 1 explained above.

Border Number vs. Iqama Number: What’s the Difference?

Many expats in Saudi Arabia confuse these two numbers, which can cause problems when filling out government forms. Here’s a clear breakdown:

The key takeaway: your border number is your temporary identity in Saudi Arabia until your Iqama is issued. Once you have your Iqama, the Iqama number becomes your primary identification for almost everything.