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Saudi extends visa validity for stranded expats until November 30

The country will also extend the validity of visit as well as exit and re-entry visas at no extra fee

September 12, 2021

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports has started to automatically extend the validity of residence permits (Iqama) for expats stranded outside the kingdom due to current travel restrictions until November 30, 2021, it said on Friday.

In addition, the authority will also extend the validity of visit visas and exit and re-entry visas without any fees until November 30 too.

This decision was made following a directive issued by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

In implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the validity of Iqama, visit visas and exit and re-entry visas to be extended automatically without fees or charges until 30/11/2021 in the countries from which entry is suspended. pic.twitter.com/JpwfqDDq4A

— الجوازات السعودية (@AljawazatKSA) September 10, 2021

The directorate indicated that the extension will be carried out electronically in cooperation with the National Information Centre without the need to visit the departments of passports, reported the stat-run Saudi Press Agency.

Last month, Arabia said that expats who are fully vaccinated can now return directly to the kingdom, including those travelling from countries facing a travel ban. The decision also includes those who passed through any of the banned countries during the 14 days preceding the request to enter the kingdom. However, officials also clarified that only expats with valid residency documents who received two doses of the vaccine in Saudi Arabia before they departed for their home country will be permitted to return.

Read: Saudi permits fully vaccinated expats to return from countries facing travel ban including UAE, India

Starting Wednesday, September 8, the kingdom additionally lifted the travel ban it had previously imposed on three countries – UAE, Argentina and South Africa. Saudi nationals too will be allowed to travel to these three countries.