JEDDAH, 18 May 2004 — The rush to renew Saudi passports ahead of the vacations continues after the Passports Department extended the deadline by three months.
Complaints and accusations are flying at the department’s south Jeddah office as visitors say that queues are moving at a snail’s pace. They also hold the Passports Department responsible for a black market in the SR300 passport coupons which appears to flourish right outside the building.
“It is better to change the passport now than wait for the summer vacation to begin,” Faisal Al-Otaibi said. “Suddenly thousands of Saudis will remember that they have to renew or replace their passport. I remember last summer where I had to change my son’s passport after the vacation started. He had to travel abroad the following week and the department was choc-a-bloc with people.”
Al-Otaibi had arrived early to beat the crowds — but so had everyone else. “I waited in line from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. When I handed in my application, they told me to pick it up 10 days later. We had to postpone the vacation.”
Al-Otaibi learned his lesson, but things are not moving any faster this year.
“I got here at 9 a.m.,” Saleh Abduljawad said. “I was No. 290 in the queue, and they were serving No. 120. The problem is that there were only six officials serving this huge crowd.
“My turn finally came at 2 p.m. and guess what? They said I have to pay a traffic ticket before they can renew my passport.”
If the office is crowded now, he said, imagine what it will be like when vacations start.
Ahmad Banafie is shocked by the open black market.
“When I went to Riyad Bank early this morning, I was surprised to see that they had run out of passport coupons. I could only find one from a tout at an SR30 markup — for SR330. Why would I have to go to the black market every time I want to finish some government papers?” he demanded.
“I don’t expect the department to go searching for these touts everywhere, but I do expect them to see what’s going on right under their noses.”
The Passports Department had advised people to change their passport early to avoid overcrowding.
