Expats in Saudi who fail to reenter on time to get three-year ban

Published:  4 Jun at 6 PM
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Expat workers in Saudi Arabia will receive a three-year ban from the kingdom if they fail to return before their exit-reentry expires.

The entry ban, which requires expatriates to be back in the country at the latest on the visa’s re-entry date, will only be applicable to workers.

However, many expats have admitted they were shocked by the decision, claiming that sometimes circumstances meant they had no option other to overstay at times.

An Indian IT profession explained that his father travelled to India but was unable to return to Saudi prior to the expiry date because his mother had died. He added that they were now trying to extend the duration of the reentry.

In recent times, the Ministry of Interior have relaxed the rules on expat workers obtaining visas for their dependents via the Abshir system, which allows them applicants to carry out the procedure online rather than visit the Foreign Ministry or the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat).

The service enables them to access a number of online services like their personal information, issuance of cancellation of final exit visas, issuance of exit-reentry visas for dependents and labourers and issuance of travel payments.

The Jawazat announced in 2013 that expat workers no longer were required to carry a copy of the exit-reentry visa. However, many have ended up encountering problems due to airlines requesting to check their visa validity.
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