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The Passport of the Kingdom of Bahrain is an official document issued by the government that serves as proof of identity for Bahraini citizens during international travel. It is issued to citizens born in the country or to foreigners who have obtained residency after providing documents confirming their new status.
The national identity card allows travel to over 80 countries without the need for a visa or with visa-on-arrival arrangements. The government provides electronic passports, enhancing security and speeding up identity verification procedures. Application and renewal can be done online through the government services portal.
How to obtain a passport of Bahrain?
Only citizens of the Kingdom can receive a local identity card. The process is regulated by the "Passport Law" No. 11 of 1975, which defines all the requirements for candidates, as well as the conditions for issuance and renewal. The following conditions serve as the basis for obtaining residency and a passport:
- Birth in the country.
- Adoption.
- Marriage to a citizen (valid only for women).
- Repatriation.
- Naturalization.
- Special merits.
Each country offers its own residency program with distinct requirements for the length of stay, language and cultural knowledge, and financial eligibility.
How to obtain
In general, without having close relatives who are Bahraini citizens, it is challenging for a foreigner to meet all the conditions. The main difficulty is meeting the minimum residency requirement of 25 years, or 15 years for citizens of Arab countries.
For women, there is an option of entering into a marital union with a citizen of the Kingdom. There are exceptions that allow maintaining this status even after divorce. However, for foreign men, such an option is not available at all. Marriage to a Bahraini woman does not grant the right to apply for permanent residency.
The process for obtaining a Bahraini passport, step by step, is as follows:
The candidate should ensure the feasibility and prospects of submitting an application. The current requirements can always be found on the government services website or at the nearest embassy.
The package of documents must be translated into Arabic or English and notarized. If dependents are mentioned in the application, a similar dossier must be collected for each of them.
The completed form and current documents are sent to the Citizenship and Passport Office for identity verification of the applicant. The approval procedures involve a personal interview with each candidate.
After receiving the final decision and the certificate of the assigned status, the applicant can submit a request for the issuance of an identity card.
The Citizenship Law of Bahrain
The issues of acquiring, losing, and restoring residency in the Kingdom are governed by the 1963 Citizenship Law and its current amendments. A distinctive feature of Bahrain's civil legislation is that men and women do not have equal rights concerning the transmission of residency to their children.
Article 4 of the law defines the automatic right of men to grant citizenship to their children. In contrast, women do not have the right to pass on the status to any of their children, except in a few cases—such as when the father is unknown or paternity is not established. The law also clearly outlines the process by which a woman loses her residency if she marries a foreigner.
Documents for Passport
You can request the issuance of a national ID after completing this form in Arabic. The application can be submitted online on the website of the Department of Citizenship, Passports, and Residency or in person.
In addition, the list of required documents includes:
- A recent 4x6 photo on a white background.
- Birth certificate.
- Information about parents.
- Marriage certificate (if applicable).
How much does a Bahraini passport cost?
The cost of processing and issuing an identification card depends on the applicant's age, with the threshold being 60 years. For issuing a regular passport to an applicant under 60 years old, the fee is 12 Bahraini dinars, and 6 dinars for those over 60 years old.
Replacing a regular passport costs 15 dinars and 6 dinars respectively. For replacing a special passport, the fee is 15 dinars for all age groups.
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