JEDDAH: Yemen's Vice President Khaled Mahfouz Bahah recently inaugurated a Hope Center at the country's consulate Jeddah in order to correct the status of approximately 1 million Yemenis who are illegally residing in the western region of the country.

This comes in the wake of the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to grant them visit visas for six months, subject to extension after they acquire the necessary travel documents from their country's legitimate government. This will then allow them to work in accordance with the specified controls of the competent authorities.

Bahah was familiarized with the necessary steps of the center and its departments which aim to speed up the completion of paperwork and rectify the status of these Yemenis. Consul General of Yemen in Jeddah Ali Ayachi and the Vice Chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mazen Batterjee were among prominent figures and officials who attended the event.

Bahah noted the firm support extended by the Kingdom to the Yemenis during this crisis. He said every Yemeni citizen highly values and appreciates the initiative taken by King Salman. He commended the decision of the king to allow illegal Yemeni residents to correct their status and work with dignity in the Kingdom.

Batterjee said the centre will process the documents of 8,000 people per hour. There are 150 diplomatic employees currently deployed to help Yemeni citizens benefit from the grace period granted to them to correct their status. The grace period lasts for 50 days, in accordance with the royal order.