Saudi justice minister launches e-notarization, aiming to drop paperwork

Published: Updated:
Enable Read mode
100% Font Size

Saudi Arabia’s Justice Minister Waleed al-Sama'ani, has launched e-notarization, starting a new phase in the ministry’s digitization efforts. Starting November 18, e-notarization will provide several services that dispense of paperwork and spare clients the need to visit notarial offices for low-risk powers of attorney (PoAs).

“The Saudi Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is continuing its efforts to achieve the objectives of the National Transformation Program 2020 and Vision 2030, which focus on enhancing the user-friendliness and cost-effectiveness of government services,” the minister said during the inauguration event in Riyadh on Sunday, attended by several ministers and legal specialists.

Advertisement

“The ministry is keen to overhaul and digitize procedures in legal, enforcement and notarization sectors, a strategic objective that the ministry has given utmost importance,” he added.

The minister shredded symbolic paper PoAs to mark the end of paperwork notarization, and the start of digital PoAs through smart devices.

The ministry revealed eight new e-services in the notarization sector, including digital powers of attorney (PoAs), which put an end to paperwork and most of the clients’ visits to notarial offices.

“E-Notarization will save about eight million sheets of paper annually, making notarization greener and more cost-effective,” the ministry pointed out.

One of the new e-services enables clients to inquire about their PoAs and their validity, terminate unwanted ones, and find out about the agencies that have checked the validity of any of their PoAs.

Another e-service enables government agencies to verify PoAs online through the “Yesser” e-government program, the MoJ portal, and the MoJ official app.

The new system condenses about 70 percent of procedures and directs clients right to the assigned notary’s office without having to go through a data entry hall.

The ministry also announced a new digital mechanism for updating title deeds and obtaining a duplicate title deed, saving 90 percent of the clients’ time. Under the new procedure, clients only need to visit the notarial office once the updated or duplicated title deed is ready.

Top Content Trending