RIYADH – The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has issued a directive clarifying the process for renewal of visit visas.
According to the directorate, the extension for single-entry visit visas can be completed via the Ministry of Interior’s electronic services platform, Absher. This can be done through Absher Afrad (individuals), Absher Aamal (business), and the Muqeem electronic portal.
The authorities have also urged holders of various visit visas in the Kingdom to adhere strictly to visa regulations. Moreover, they are now allowed to electronically extend their visas up to seven days prior to their expiration, eliminating the need for in-person visits to Jawazat offices.
To proceed with the extension, the beneficiary simply needs to access their Absher account, make the necessary service fee payment, and ensure they possess valid medical insurance. The visa extension process must adhere to stipulated terms and conditions, with the total extension period not surpassing 180 days, Saudi Gazette reported.
In case visa holders encounter difficulties utilizing this electronic service, they have the option to submit a request to Jawazat through the Absher platform’s communication service. The directorate’s dedicated team will then review the case and relay the status of the request via text message, as stated in a release by the directorate.
Saudi Arabia is fast transforming its visa regulations in a bid to attract tourists as part of its Vision 2030 which entails increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP and creating a million job opportunities.
The figures also portray a favorable picture as in 2022, the holy Kingdom recorded 94 million visits, a remarkable 93 percent surge from the previous year, resulting in a tourism expenditure of SR185 billion ($49 billion).
The authorities in Saudi Arabia expect 100 million visits by 2030 and raise the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to 10 percent. For this year, the kingdom also managed to receive over 2 million Hajj pilgrims which was the first time after the Covid-19 that the country welcomed pilgrims in such large numbers.
