British Citizens in Saudi Arabia can register at the FCO website https://www.locate.fco.gov.uk/LocatePortal/olrportal.aspx

Users have reported some difficulties in using the FCO site in its present format (Jan 2008). Here are some suggestions that may help:

• The site also caters for British citizens making short trips, so there are references to the 'start' and 'end' day of your 'trip'. If you arrived before the start of this year, put 1 Jan of this year as your arrival date. If you plan to leave after the end of this year, then put 31 Dec of this year as your departure date. Note that the site will not accept 'trips' of longer than one year's duration. You should of course update the details for the coming year on 1 January next year. (You should receive a reminder by e-mail.)
  
  
• You can (and should) register your whole family on this site with a single log-in. There is no need for each family member to have a separate log-in.
  
  
• Details may be updated at any time. There is no need to fill-in the entire thing in one go. If you don't have all the information to hand (for instance spouse's passport number) you can come back and fill it in later.
  
  
• Some of the drop-lists on the site where nationality is to be selected do not give "British" as a choice. (For instance nationality of emergency contacts.) These boxes may be left blank. Nationality is assumed to be British, unless specified otherwise.
  
  
• Boxes for telephone numbers seem to accept only numbers and curved brackets. Entries like "+966 (2) 611-1111 ext. 123" are rejected. Try "9662611111(123)", where "123" is the extension.
  
  
• Note that the site is under development, so the above may change.

New Note: The British Embassy has issued a Q&A document that advises on the above issues. Click Here to see it.

It is very important that you register, so please enter as much information as you can, even if you run into difficulties.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

Why you should register with the British Consulate-General

If you are British, then it is absolutely essential that you register with the British Consulate-General, whether you are a member of the BBG or not.

It is a legal requirement of some other countries that their expatriate citizens register. That is not the British way and registration is not legally enforced; but this freedom does not release you from the moral responsibility you have to guard your own interests and those of your friends and family.

The British Embassy says:

The British Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah have responsibility for the consular protection of all British nationals (and some Commonwealth nationals) in Saudi Arabia. New arrivals in the Kingdom should register their details with the Embassy or Consulate General, so that we can contact you in an emergency.

Here are several good reasons to follow their advice:

1. If you end up in hospital and are unable to communicate, then the Consulate-General may need to contact your family. This may prove difficult or impossible if you are not registered.
   
   
2. If you are imprisoned for a serious offence and the Consulate-General is notified by the authorities, it will take much longer to find out exactly who you are and how they might best afford consular protection.
   
   
3. If you die or are killed, then the Consulate-General will want to arrange for your next of kin to be contacted in a prompt and sympathetic manner. If you are not registered, and particularly in the unlikely event that you are killed in a terrorist incident, your family may first find out when they hear your name on television or when a reporter contacts them.
   
   
4. If there is a terrorist incident, then the Consulate-General may receive calls from concerned friends and relatives asking if you are safe. If no one has heard of you or has your contact details, then they may not be able to offer reassurance.
   
   
5. If it is ever necessary to evacuate British Citizens from Saudi Arabia and the Consulate-General does not know you exist, there may not be places for you and your family.
   
   
6. From time-to-time the Consulate-General issues security advisories via a system of wardens. If you are not registered, then you may not receive these very important communications.
   

A few years ago there were difficulties and delays in dealing with the Yanbu terrorist incident, because some of the victims were not registered.

Here is what you can do:

• Please think of your family and register now if you have not already done so.
  
  
• If you see any new British faces at work or on your compound, encourage them to register!
  
  
• If you have been here for many years and it is a while since you first registered, do so again. Ideally you should re-register each year to ensure your details are current.
  
  
• Even if you or your family/business visitors are here for a short time, register them anyway and note the planned departure date on the registration card.
  
  
• When you leave, remember to de-register.