Border Security Law in the Kingdom

The Border Security Law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a set of rules regulating security along the border areas that demarcate the territories of the Kingdom from its neighboring countries, whether those boundaries are land or maritime. The Border Security Law clarifies the entity competent to implement its provisions and responsible for apprehending violators and guarding the Kingdom’s regional borders.

The Border Security Law was issued in 1974 during the reign of King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and it comprises six articles. Two articles of the law, specifically articles two and six, underwent multiple amendments on various dates. Article Two was first amended in 1993 and subsequently revised again in 2004.

According to Article One of the law, border security means controlling the Kingdom’s land borders and territorial waters by restricting entry to or exit from these areas solely in compliance with applicable laws, utilizing designated roads, routes, ports, harbors, and points designated by the government.

The significance of the Border Security Law is emphasized in bolstering the Kingdom's sovereignty within its territorial borders and asserting its right to safeguard its land and regulate the entry of individuals through controls of its choosing. The law's provisions empower border guards with full authority to control any crimes outlined within the law and its implementing regulations, authorizing the use of force, including weaponry, to repel them.

The Border Security Law has imposed several stringent penalties on individuals violating its provisions, limiting them to five penalties. Violators are subject to one or a combination of these penalties. These include: revocation of licenses and permanent prohibition from Border Guard employment, imprisonment for up to five years, a fine capped at SAR50,000, temporary work suspension lasting no more than one year, and confiscation when deemed necessary.