Saudi Arabia switches visa stickers with QR codes for 7 countries
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Saudi Arabia has started an initiative to replace the visa sticker with an electronic visa on the passenger's passport, from which information will be read via a QR Code. Follow Saudi Expatriates on Google News
This project fits with the ministry's overall plan to automate and enhance the consular services it offers.
- The new initiative will be launched in its initial phase at the Saudi missions in 7 countries. In its first stage the list includes
* United Arab Emirates
* Jordan
* Egypt Read : Riyadh Airport uses faceprints instead of boarding pass
* Bangladesh
* India
* Indonesia and
* Philippines
- The move is part of a plan aimed at automating and improving the consular services offered by the ministry with the latest technology for granting various types of visas, including work, residency, and visit visas.
- Last year, the MOFA announced a process for acquiring a "personal visit visa", which allows tourists to enter the Kingdom to visit friends or relatives for Saudi citizens.
- Additionally, the personal visit visa enables its holders to visit Makkah, Madinah, and other Holy and historic sites, travel between the Kingdom's regions and cities, perform Umrah rituals, and take part in cultural events.
- According to the ministry, obtaining a visa can be done through simple and practical electronic processes on the website for the visa platform.
- By submitting a request for a personal visit on the visa platform, applying for a "visit" request, checking in through the unified national access platform, and filling out the information for the invitees, Saudi nationals can invite friends to travel to Saudi Arabia and to perform Umrah. See Also : Saudi Arabia introduces 3-months temporary work visa
