RIYADH, 9 September — As Malaysia more than gained what its neighbor Singapore lost in tourist traffic from the Kingdom, the island republic has quietly eased restrictions on visit visas for Saudi nationals.
Inquiries at the Singapore Embassy revealed that Saudi nationals would no longer need a Singaporean national as a sponsor. The embassy now requires them to submit a letter of introduction from their company or organization. The processing time for a visa is five days.
Unlike in the past when the embassy issued only single-entry visas, multiple-entry visas could also be obtained. The embassy has already informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the change in the regulations, which have come about following the efforts of Anthony Cheng, charge d’affaires at the Singapore Embassy. The Saudi diplomatic mission in Singapore was also pressing for a review.
Another factor that could have possibly influenced the Singapore government’s decision was the difficulty in visiting trade shows on the island. The problem was solved to some extent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh issuing letters of introduction to the Singapore Embassy on behalf of Saudi nationals. The slapping of visa restrictions on Saudis by the US and Canada and relaxation of the rules by Singapore have come at a time when Saudi Arabia is under WTO pressure to ease visa restrictions.
The restrictions were introduced last October when Saudi nationals as well as those from Pakistan, Iran, Egypt and Sudan were required to obtain visas for visiting Singapore. The curbs have been eased only in the case of Saudis.
The decision reflects the Singapore government’s resolve to lure at least a segment of the tourist traffic to that southeast Asian country.
