Minister of Justice and President of the Supreme Judiciary Council Sheikh Walid Al-Samaani has issued directives to speed up implementation of the new amendments made in the Travel Documents Regulation for the court verdicts which were issued in connection with custodianship of minors before the amendments came into effect. The minister said that there is no need on the part of the courts to revise their verdicts in line with the amendments. "The beneficiaries also need not approach the courts, seeking any revision in the earlier court orders," he said. The ministry noted that there were several meetings held with the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) to sort out this issue and accordingly it has been agreed that there was no need to revise or revoke the court orders. The minister also ordered changes in the form seeking custody of minors in line with the amendments approved by the Council of Ministers in the Travel Documents Regulation, and cancel those provisions which are contrary to the new amendments. A provision in the documents for the custodianship of minors allows the guardians to prevent the travel of their dependents under the age of 21 without the permission of guardian or a court judge. This provision has been made null and void in the case of some sections of minors with the approval of the new amendments in the Travel Document Law. These segments include foreign scholarship students, employees taking part in official trips abroad with a letter of consent from the employer, and those who are married. The amendments in the law ended the need for women to obtain the permission of a male guardian to travel or obtain passports. The amendments included granting the same rights to males and females above 21 years of age. The Jawazat and Civil Status departments and their branches in all regions of the Kingdom have started implementing the amendments made in the regulations since August. The regulatory changes stipulated that a Saudi passport should be issued to any citizen who applies for it and that any person above the age of 21 does not need permission to travel. They also granted women, for the first time, the right to register child birth, marriage or divorce and to get issued official family documents and eligible to be a guardian of children who are minors. SPA
