JEDDAH, 12 October 2006 — A government official announced yesterday that foreigners could apply for visas to enter Saudi Arabia through the Internet.
The system was implemented over six months ago and the Foreign Ministry has already processed more than three million visas through the Internet. Once qualified applicants receive a confirmation number through the Web, they can mail in their documentation, along with the passports, to the nearest Saudi Embassy and receive the visa within 48 hours.
The website (http://visa.mofa.gov.sa) includes forms for business, commercial and family visit visa requests as well as requests for Umrah and Haj. The applicants can follow the progress of their requests over the Internet.
“If the application form on the website is completed filling in all the required information it is submitted and, once approved, the applicant will immediately receive a confirmation number,” said Osama Nugali, director of Information Department at the ministry.
For the business and commercial visiting forms, the non-Arabic names of the visitors are to be entered in the Latin alphabet as written in the passports. For family visit forms, applicants should use the language of their passports. “The applicant then prints the form with the confirmation number and takes it or sends it by mail with the passport and the other documents to the Saudi Embassy in his country,” Nugali told Arab News.
Among the documents required for business and commercial visits are an authenticated copy of the contract with the agency they belong to and a letter from the licensing agency of their occupation. The printed form also has to be signed and stamped and accompanied with a copy of the business registration.
Family visit and pilgrimage applications do not require additional documents. Once sent, the applicant can follow up on the processing of their commercial or family visiting application.
