RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced that it has now replaced visa stickers with e-visas for its missions in seven countries, including the UAE, India and the Philippines.
The Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that instead of the sticker that is typically placed on an individual’s passport, QR codes are used to read the data. The system has been in place since May 1 in Saudi Arabia’s missions in the UAE, India, Jordan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the ministry added. The move comes as part of efforts to automate consular services and “develop a mechanism for granting different kinds of visas, including work, residence, and visit visas”, according to a report on the Saudi Gazette. Last year in April, UAE had scrapped visa sticker in passports of expats, instead the Emirates ID card was introduced as proof of residency.
The rule change applies to all new visa applications after April 11, 2022. The Emirates ID card contains all necessary information on each resident, according to the authorities, and therefore will be used by airlines to verify residency, along with their passport number. Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, highlighting the crucial role of workers in the development of societies has said it was the basis for urban, industrial and commercial renaissance for all nations on the globe. Addressing an event organized by the Saudi Embassy in connection with ‘International Workers’ Day’ the other day, he expressed appreciation for workers all around the world and congratulated all hardworking individuals who had made sacrifices in building and developing societies. –Agencies
