Saudi new rule for Hajj and Umra
The Saudi Arabian embassy
in Doha has announced
that with eff ect from this
month visas for Haj or Umrah
will be issued only on electronic
passports, says a report in a local
Arabic daily .
The new regulation applies to
Qataris and expatriates. However,
it poses a serious problem
to many expatriates since the
authorities in several of their respective
countries have still not
switched over to machine-readable
or biometric passports, says
the report.
Source: Gulf Times
They do know that citizens of most of the countries from where people generally go for Hajj and Umra have not even started the process of changing the passports to the newer models.
tht sounds unfair for such people
instead Saudi should issue 'Biometric Visas' to address their problem.
Change internal systems rather asking the whole world to change their passports.....
Well FA, I can only talk about what I know..and what i posted is what I know.
Of course, what you said may very well be so also.
I think this move will help Saudi Authorities a bit to control the number of issuing visas....they have a lot of construction going on in(Haram) Makkah and by this move they might get a bit less number of visa requests.
nomeric, I have been to Jeddah ample of times....
when it comes to People Staying there Illegally, People from Small Villages in Sub-Continent, and all the Third World Countries...
Like i mentioned in my reply, these Restrictions placed by Saudi Govt, is not going to help them a but, Numbers would go up rather then going down....
FA, it is neither Indians or Bangladeshis the Saudis are trying to keep away.
It is mostly people from African countries. No bashing meant here..but that is what it is.
Go to Jeddah, and you'll see what I mean.
They get to Makkah, and then somebody on the Jeddah side pays "somebody off" to let them through...very industrious people...and massive human trafficking is going on there.
Temporary it would make a Difference in the numbers of people coming for Hajj or Umrah, but i don't see numbers going down when it comes to People Illegally staying in Saudi Arabia.....
I don't know about India or Bangladesh if they are using Biometric Passports, But Pakistan is issuing Biometric Passports for over 8 years now...
No worries. The Vatican doesn’t require electronic passports for entry.
It wouldn't stop it. But Saudi probably feels that it will help reduce it.
Who knows how many people overstay visas, and from which countries they come from.
But I was conservatively estimate that 90% (or more) who break the rules are poor people from poor countries who do not have biometric passports.
Maybe 10% are from Europe or America with biometric passports, but it's still a reduction in visa violations.
Saudi's borders, Saudi's rules.
how would a biometric passport stop this illegal stays?
Hassan, I do not think it has to do with
affluent"..it is more like "obeying the rules".
I know of many people from certain countries who come into Saudi on Umrah and Hajj visas, and then stay to work illegally as domestics....
So now, even to be eligible for Umrah or Hajj, you have to be from one of the 'affluent' countries.
bad news... but how can we make the electronic passport?
even if there is a bio metric passport, those who want to remain there can remain there. a completely illogical step.
You may be right fubar, it appears to be a well thought of decision. I don't think the locals need a visa to go for umrah or hajj. It's going to be really difficult now.
Could be very well thought out. Goodness only knows how many pilgrims enter Saudi on Hajj and Umrah visas and never leave, and become a burden on the Saudi society.
These people almost certainly come from the countries without biometric passports.
Their decision to ignore their visa restrictions has now ruined it for everyone else from their countries.
This seems poorly thought out.
Bad news.....