The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) officially launched a special e-visa waiver scheme. The fresh policy applies to all nationals from the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland. Under this e-visa-free scheme, the applicant will get one-time entry to Saudi Arabia for a maximum period of six months. However, the traveler have to submit a waiver application which must be submitted between three months to a minimum of 48 hours before entering the KSA. To initiate the visa process, the traveler needs to visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and fill out the required details.

 Through this initiative, Saudi Arabia aims to enhance its relationship with the UK by promoting visits for a range of purposes, including healthcare, education, tourism, and business. In another news, the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia has launched electronic visas (e-visas) for a dozen countries, including Pakistan, making it easier for people from these nations to visit Saudi Arabia. The Saudi General Aviation Authority (GACA) officially announced that it has implemented a new method for issuing e-visas that employ QR codes. The system is now operational in 12 Saudi embassies – Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Indonesia, and Egypt.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)