The Kingdom is home to an estimated two million Indians.

“Under this scheme, we have already issued more than 6,000 outpasses (emergency certificates) to those who sought amnesty under the scheme,” the ambassador told a packed press conference on the embassy premises.

The mission has received around 15,000 requests for outpasses.

Indian nationals seeking outpasses are being interviewed between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday through Thursday. A photocopy of the passport and another form of Indian ID is required to get the outpass.

The amnesty, which lasts until March 23, does not apply to those who have been reported as absconding (huroob) by their employers.

“We are negotiating with the concerned authorities to cover huroob cases too under the amnesty scheme,” said the ambassador.

The ambassador said he has requested that the Saudi government allow such absconding workers to leave the Kingdom under this amnesty if they have not been found to have committed any other crimes. 

Only those who can obtain exit visas from the Saudi authorities on their own should apply for the emergency certificate as the embassy cannot assist them in this regard.

Indian nationals who have their passports with them should not apply for an outpass.

Once an outpass is issued, the recipient will not be issued a regular passport later on, the embassy warned.

Those who are applying for an outpass should apply in the prescribed from with a photocopy of their passport, a copy of any Indian proof of identity, such as an election card, ration card or driver's license; and three passport-size photos.