The Saudi Arabian government has rolled out a special e-visa waiver scheme, effective from Thursday. The fresh policy applies to all nationals from the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland.
Under this e-visa-free scheme, a one-time entry to Saudi Arabia is allowed for a maximum period of six months. However, a waiver application must be submitted between three months to a minimum of 48 hours before entering the Kingdom.
The application process is also simple. A traveler needs to visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and fill out the required details.
With this initiative, Saudi Arabia hopes to strengthen its ties with the UK by encouraging visits for various reasons, including healthcare, education, tourism, and business.
In separate news, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry has launched electronic visas (e-visas) for a dozen countries, including Pakistan, making it easier for people from these nations to visit Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi General Aviation Authority (GACA) officially announced that it has implemented a new method for issuing e-visas that employ QR codes.
The system is now operational in 12 Saudi embassies – Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Indonesia, and Egypt.