The man will not be eligible for a worker’s visa over the next five years as part of the punishment for his violation of visa regulations in the Kingdom. “The ministry intends to stop the illegal practice of trading in visas,” a statement of the ministry said.

Passport regulations stipulate that any one who recruits or helps to obtain an residence permit or entry or exit visa using illegal methods such as corruption, bribery or forgery will be fined SR10,000 or jailed three months or receive both the punishments together. The violator will be deported if he is a foreigner.

But if the violator is a Saudi, he will be fined SR10,000 in the first instance and for a repetition of the crime SR15,000 and three months jail. Not just the prime culprit, but his accomplices will also be punished in this manner. All the money transacted for illegal trade in visas will be seized and the fine will be multiplied by the number of people involved in the violation. 

While the official cost of a work visa to the Kingdom is only SR 2,000, visa traders demand SR15,000 for a single visa apart from other expenses such as renewal of a visa.