Filing a Creditor Claim in Saudi Bankruptcy Proceedings: Documents and the Most Common Deficiencies

Once bankruptcy proceedings are opened against a debtor that owes you money, the claim you file with the bankruptcy trustee becomes the only route to having your debt listed, and therefore to voting and receiving distributions. A claim is not merely notice that a debt exists. It is an evidentiary file, examined under the same rules of evidence that apply in litigation. A well-prepared file from day one saves weeks of correspondence and can be the difference between full and partial acceptance.

Figures from the proceedings we administer

The observations in this guide are based on data from the claims portal for the bankruptcy proceedings administered by the firm, as of October 2026:

• 1,455 claims filed, with a total value of roughly SAR 1.6 billion.
• Of the 1,209 claims whose review is complete: 72% were recommended for full acceptance, 21% were partially accepted, and only 7% were recommended for rejection.
• The amount recommended for acceptance was about 75% of the amount claimed across reviewed claims.
• 90 claims (about 6%) required a deficiency request before review could be completed.

The clearest lesson is that outright rejection is rare. The real gap lies in partial acceptance: a right that is established in principle, but part of whose amount was not substantiated or broken down.

When should you file?

The trustee announces the opening judgment within (seven) days of appointment and invites creditors to file their claims within a period not exceeding (ninety) days from the announcement, also notifying known creditors directly (Article 56 of the Bankruptcy Law, applied to liquidation by cross-reference). In financial reorganization for small debtors the period is (sixty) days (Article 150). Claims are filed with the trustee within the set period using the prescribed form (Article 13 of the Implementing Regulations).

Filing late has a cost. In liquidation, a claim filed after the sole or final distribution decision has been executed is paid only if assets remain, or if the debtor acquires assets after the distribution and before the proceeding ends (Article 117). So do not wait until every document is in hand: file what you have within the period, then complete it.

What must a claim contain?

The Law requires every creditor whose debt arose before the opening judgment to file any claim it has, whether due or deferred, conditional or contingent, attaching supporting documents and a statement of its value at the date of the opening judgment, and stating whether it is secured and the nature of the security. Where the value cannot be determined precisely, the claim is filed at an estimated value that the trustee verifies (Article 63).

In practice, a complete claim rests on four elements:

1. Identity and capacity of the filer: if an agent or a company representative files, the power of attorney or authorization is required.
2. Basis of entitlement: the contract, judgment, invoice or document from which the debt arose.
3. Breakdown of the amount: the components of the claim, item by item, with the due date of each and any amounts paid.
4. Security: whether the debt is secured by a mortgage, pledge or guarantee, and the value of the secured asset.

Documents by type of claim

Employee claims

The employment contract (preferably the version issued through the official platform), a social insurance (GOSI) statement showing the joining date and registered wage, and a breakdown listing the months of unpaid wages with dates, end-of-service award, leave allowance, and any settlement or labor judgment.

Supplier and service-provider claims

The contract and its amendments, dated invoices, purchase orders and delivery records, and a statement of account reconciling invoices against payments. Where there are several contracts, separate each contract and its amount.

Claims based on judgments or enforceable instruments

A copy of the judgment or enforceable instrument, the enforcement request and its value, and anything collected before the proceeding opened. If several enforcement requests relate to the same debt, explain why their values differ, if they do.

Secured claims

The security instrument (mortgage, pledge or guarantee), evidence of its registration or effectiveness, and any available valuation of the secured asset. The list the trustee submits to the court identifies secured creditors, the details of their security, and an estimate of the value of the underlying assets (Article 68).

The most common deficiencies

From our review of deficiency requests issued in the proceedings we administer, the following recur:

1. A lump sum with no breakdown: one figure that does not show how much is wages, end-of-service or invoices, nor when each part fell due.
2. No basis of entitlement: a statement of account without the underlying contract, or a claim for equipment rental without the contractual basis for its value.
3. The claim form is missing or unsigned.
4. Several contracts or projects merged into one claim without separating the amount and documents for each.
5. Inconsistent documents: for example, a wage in the contract that differs from the GOSI record, or enforcement requests for the same debt with different values and no explanation.
6. The filer's capacity is not stated, nor its relationship to the original creditor.
7. Items without evidence: overtime, commissions or work on public holidays without proof of the instruction to work or the method of calculation.

A deficiency request carries a deadline. Make sure your response arrives on time, through the channel the trustee specified, and answers each point specifically rather than resending the same file.

After filing: the recommendation, the list and the right to object

The trustee prepares a list of creditors' claims and submits it to the court for approval within (fourteen) days of the end of the filing period, including a recommendation on each claim to accept, reject or refer it to an expert. Within (five) days of submitting the list, the trustee must notify any creditor whose claim was recommended for rejection or referral to an expert, and that creditor may apply to the court to have its claim considered (Article 68).

According to the Creditor's Guide issued by the Bankruptcy Commission, a creditor may object before the Court of Appeal to a decision refusing to list its claim, in whole or in part, within (fourteen) days of the decision being issued or announced.

Checklist before you submit

• Is the claim filed within the announced period?
• Is the claim form attached and signed?
• Is the amount broken down by item and date, and reconciled with the statement of account?
• Is there a basis of entitlement for each item?
• Have you stated your capacity if filing on behalf of someone else?
• Have you disclosed any security?
• Are your bank and contact details correct and in the creditor's own name?

Claims in the proceedings for which we act as trustee are filed through the online claims portal, where you can track your claim and respond to deficiency requests in one place. To learn more about our work for creditors, companies and trustees, see Insolvency & Restructuring.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for legal advice on the facts and documents of your own case.