Passport offices in major cities in the Kingdom are working extra hours to expedite legalization procedures for expats. The extended working hours will only accommodate rectification procedures and will not involve other transactions.

Passport Department offices in the cities of Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and Madinah are working in after office hours, said media reports quoting Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director-general of the Passport Department.

Passport offices, like other government institutions, usually close at 2 p.m. but are currently working until 5 p.m.

Arab News spoke with Col. Mohammed Hussain of the Passport Directorate in the Makkah region.

Hussain did not deny the report but requested Arab News to contact the office of the directorate general in Riyadh for further information and confirmation.

Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Naif has issued directives to speed up procedures related to the correction campaign and has ordered that Passport Department employees working overtime be compensated.

Around 60,000 labor law violators of different nationalities have been apprehended in the Kingdom since the beginning of the inspection campaign on Nov. 4, a statement by the General Directorate of Prisons said.

Procedures for approximately 30,000 detained violators have been completed and they have been deported to their countries in coordination with transport providers.

Many streets, roads and neighborhoods in the Eastern Province are still witnessing a heavy security presence at different checkpoints and inspection tours in shops and public facilities.