RIYADH, 2 May — The formalities of issuing visit visa for foreign businessmen to the Kingdom have been simplified.
Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has issued the new regulations to all Saudi missions abroad, Osama Kurdi, secretary general of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement to Arab News yesterday.
According to the new regulations a Saudi mission need not consult the Foreign Ministry in order to issue a business visa, Kurdi said.
Foreign businessmen, investors, and representatives of foreign firms will be granted entry visa to visit their counterparts in the Kingdom, according to the new regulation.
The representatives of the companies with contracts or investments in the Kingdom will also be issued entry visa provided the proof for the contract or investment is produced at the consular department.
With the invitation from a Saudi chamber of commerce and industry, the representatives of foreign firms can get visa from their countries provided the application for visa have been submitted to the Saudi mission by the council of chambers of commerce and industry in that country.
Businessmen who have no links with any Saudi companies but wish to visit the Kingdom with the aim of exploring investment opportunities or study the Saudi market will also be eligible for visa.
The request sent by a Saudi establishment for a foreigner’s business visa to a Saudi embassy or consulate by fax will also be accepted. A Saudi chamber of commerce and industry should endorse such requests.
Government companies such as Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Aramco and companies with more than 50 percent state capital such as SABIC are exempted from the chamber’s endorsement.
Wives of visiting businessmen or company representatives will also be permitted to accompany the husband.
The duration of the business visit visa will be for a maximum of one month. If the head of the consular department at the mission is convinced of the need to issue the visa for more than one month, he can do so for a maximum duration of three months.
The new regulations also give the head of the consular department the authority to grant multiple-entry visas. In this case the duration of each visit should not exceed one month.
