Border Number Check Saudi Arabia 2026: Absher & Iqama

Your border number (رقم الحدود) is the 10-digit number Jawazat (the Passports department) gives you when you enter Saudi Arabia on a new visa. You can look it up on Absher with “Query Border Number” (visa number + visa issue date), or after logging in under My Services → Inquiries → Passports → New Workers and Visitors. It is not your Iqama number. Your Iqama number comes later, when your employer issues the Iqama.

Last checked: November 2026.

What is a border number?

When you arrive at a Saudi airport or land border on a new visa, the passport system creates a record for you and gives it a number. That is the border number. Older paper visas often had it written by hand by the immigration officer.

Saudi ID numbers all have 10 digits. The first digit tells you the type of number. This is from the Saudi Central Bank rulebook, which explains the Ministry of Interior numbering:

First digit	Who it belongs to
1	Saudi citizen (National ID)
2	Foreign resident (Iqama number)
3 or 5	Visitor on a temporary visit (Umrah, business, family visit, etc.) and GCC citizens
6	Hajj pilgrim
7	Companies and other entities

The last digit is a check digit worked out from the other nine. So a quick test: if your number starts with 2, it is an Iqama number, not a border number.

Border number vs visa number vs Iqama number

These three get mixed up all the time. Entering the wrong one is the most common reason an online check shows “no record”.

Number	When you get it	Where you see it
Visa number	Before you travel	Printed on your visa
Border number	When you enter Saudi Arabia	Absher, your employer, sometimes hand-written in the passport
Iqama number	When the employer issues your Iqama	Iqama card, digital Iqama in Absher

How to find your border number

Absher’s own page says this service lets you check the border number registered in the Jawazat system, and that it is for GCC citizens, non-GCC citizens and pilgrims.

Open absher.sa and choose Individuals.
Open Query Border Number (under Electronic Services → Inquiries → Passports).
Choose Non-GCC Citizen.
Enter your visa number (from the visa, not your passport number).
Enter the visa issue date. Choose Hijri or Gregorian correctly.
Type the image code and press Inquire.

Gulf News reported that the system then shows your full name and border number.

Method 2: Absher with your account

In July 2026 the General Directorate of Passports answered this question on X. It said users can log in to Absher and choose My Services → Inquiries → Passports → New Workers and Visitors to get the border number. This route is useful for a sponsor checking a family member or a new worker.

Method 3: Ask your employer

Your employer manages new workers through Absher Business and Muqeem. HR can see your border number and, later, your Iqama number. Ask by email or WhatsApp so you have it in writing.

Method 4: Look in your passport

Check the visa page and the entry stamp. On older visas, the officer often wrote the number by hand. Many new arrivals find nothing written, because entries are now recorded digitally. If so, use Method 1 or 2.

What you can do with a border number

Register on Absher. The Absher registration form has one field called “ID/Iqama/Border Number”, so a border number is accepted. See our Absher complete guide.
Check your work record with the Ministry of Human Resources (HRSD). The public HRSD page “Inquire about an expatriate employee” lets you search by border number, Iqama number, or passport number with nationality. It is in Arabic and has a captcha. We explain it in our Iqama colour status guide.

How to find your Iqama number from the border number

There is no official page that simply “converts” a border number into an Iqama number. The Iqama number only exists once your employer issues the Iqama. These are the realistic ways:

Ask HR first. The employer issues the Iqama through Absher Business or Muqeem, so they get the number straight away.
Try the HRSD expatriate inquiry with your border number. If you are already registered under the employer, your record may show. If nothing shows, the Iqama may not be issued yet.
Use Absher. Once the Iqama is issued, your Absher account works with the Iqama number, and the digital Iqama in Absher shows it. Then you can also check your Iqama expiry date.

The 90-day limit

In August 2026, answering a question about a domestic worker, Jawazat said on X that a SAR 500 fine applies when a residency (Iqama) is issued later than 90 days after the worker’s date of entry. It added that the Iqama is issued through Absher or Muqeem after the employer pays the fees, and that a medical exam is needed. So if day 60 has passed and you still have no Iqama number, remind HR in writing.

Common problems and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
”No record found” on Query Border Number	Passport number entered instead of visa number	Enter the visa number printed on the visa
Still no record	Wrong calendar for the visa issue date	Switch between Hijri and Gregorian and try again
Nothing shows the day you land	Entry not updated yet	Wait a day or two, then try again
HRSD inquiry shows nothing	Iqama/registration not done yet, or a typing mistake	Check the digits, then ask HR
Number starts with 2	That is already an Iqama number	Use it as your Iqama number on Absher and other sites
A website asks for your passport and a fee to “find” your border number	Not a government site	Use absher.sa or hrsd.gov.sa only. Never share your Absher password or SMS code

FAQs

How many digits is a border number?

Ten. All Saudi ID numbers (National ID, Iqama, border number) have 10 digits. Visitor border numbers start with 3 or 5, according to the numbering explained in the Saudi Central Bank rulebook.

Is the border number the same as the visa number?

No. The visa number belongs to the visa issued before you travelled. The border number is created when you actually enter the Kingdom.

Can I find my border number with only my passport number?

The public Absher service for non-GCC visitors asks for the visa number and visa issue date, not the passport number. If you have an Absher account, Jawazat pointed to My Services → Inquiries → Passports → New Workers and Visitors.

Does my border number change when I get my Iqama?

After the Iqama is issued, you use the Iqama number (starting with 2) for Absher, banks, SIM cards and travel. Keep a note of your border number anyway; it can be useful for old records.

I came back on a new visa. Is my old border number still valid?

Do not assume it is. Check Absher again after the new entry.

My employer is late issuing my Iqama. Who pays the fine?

Under Article 40 of the Labor Law, as published by HRSD, the employer bears the fees for issuing and renewing the Iqama and work permit, and the fines caused by their delay. If there is a delay, ask HR in writing and keep a copy. If nothing happens, read our guide on job transfer rules.

Sources: Absher “Query for Border Number” page (absher.sa); Absher registration form (absher.sa); SAMA Rulebook, Appendix C – Ten-digit Ministry of Interior number (rulebook.sama.gov.sa); HRSD expatriate employee inquiry (es.hrsd.gov.sa) and service card (hrsd.gov.sa); Gulf News, “What is a Saudi border number” (gulfnews.com); Ajel, Jawazat reply on border numbers, July 2026 (english.ajel.sa); Ajel, Jawazat on the SAR 500 late-Iqama fine, August 2026 (english.ajel.sa); HRSD, Labor Law Article 40 – fees borne by the employer (hrsd.gov.sa).

Saudi Border Number: What It Is, How to Check It and Find Iqama

What is a border number?

Border number vs visa number vs Iqama number