The Abshir electronic service eases procedures for users and has reduced congestion at Passport Departments across the Kingdom, however, small obstacles within the system continue to hamper procedures for expatriates and citizens alike.

The on-line service provides citizens and expatriates with many electronic amenities without having to appear in person before the General Directorate of Passports. The services encompass transferring sponsorships, issuing exit and re-entry visas, renewing residence permits and other services.

Saleh Al-Adbah, a customer in Al-Ahsa said, “Abshir system is an effective system, as it has reduced long waiting hours and eased procedures for expatriates. However the problem remains with the issue of renewing residence permits (iqama), as individuals must go to the Passport Department in order to collect their new iqama, which means queuing for long hours. There is a severe shortage of officials allocated to printing residence permits at the Passport Departments.”

Meanwhile, another customer, Mohammed Abdullah, requested officials to allocate a special section at the Passport Department for printing residence permits, which consumes more time that the other steps involved in the rectification process.

“The department must provide enough supplies of residency cards,” he said, adding that he has been waiting for months to collect the residency permits of the workers at his establishment.

Brig. Ayed Al-Raqas, director of the Passport Department in Yanbu, emphasized that the Passport Department officials are workings round the clock to assist violating expatriates before the grace period ends.

However, Abu Alla and Abdullah Al-Refaie pointed out that the number of employees at the Passport Department in Yanbu is insufficient.

“The Passport Department should take into consideration that Yanbu hosts a great number of firms and plants, which employ thousands of foreign workers,” said Abu Alla, urging officials to increase the number of staff members.

“Although the number of counters are more than 13, only five or six employees are working behind these counters,” said Al-Refaie.

Meanwhile, a number of citizens and foreign workers in Bisha expressed their fears that the extension period might end before they would be able to correct their status.

Faisal Al-Shahrani, a citizen in the process of rectifying the status of workers at his establishment said the insufficient number of staff as well as the malfunction of computers at government departments, impaired procedures.