Saudi Arabia govt increases re-entry visa, residency renewal fees by two folds, claims report

The Saudi Arabia government has given a go-ahead to an amendment about doubling fees of exit/re-entry visas, and renewal of iqama (residency permit) for expatriates who are outside the kingdom. According to a news report in Gulf News, the amendment to the law clearly states that renewing the iqama of the expatriate’s dependents and the domestic workers, who are outside the kingdom, can be done via the Interior Ministry’s electronic portal at a fee twice the fee that is charged if they are inside the kingdom.  

An iqama can be described as the residence permit that the Saudi Arabian kingdom issues to eligible foreign employees who come into the country on an employment visa. 

As per the new updates, the fee for the exit/re-entry visa is Saudi Riyal (SAR) 200 (roughly Rs 4,400) for a single trip of a maximum of two months, with an extra SAR 100 (Rs 2,200) charged for each additional month if the expatriate is inside the kingdom, the report said.  

If an employee travels multiple times over three months, the fee has been updated to SAR500 (around Rs 10,993) with an extra SAR200 (around Rs 4,400) charged for each additional month if the expatriate is inside the kingdom. 

It added that the fee would double each additional month if the expatriate is outside Saudi Arabia and if the iqama is still valid. 

Secure a visa to work  

Earlier, the Saudi Arabia government launched a new pilot programme to secure a visa to work in Saudi Arabia under which plumbers, electricians, workers, and welders can also apply for a work permit. 

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) announced that it would launch the Skill Verification scheme in India. The Kingdom had previously rolled out the same programme for skilled workers in Pakistan in September. 

The programme’s pilot phase is set to kick off in New Delhi and Mumbai, and will also include refrigeration and air conditioning technicians, and automobile electricians. 

The prospective candidates will have to take written and practical tests, and only skilled workers can apply for a Saudi work visa. Following the tests, the workers will have to undergo various levels of verification before they will be finally recruited. 

Saudi Arabia, a country of around 34.8 million people, has a large number of migrant workers. The country has been trying to boost its private sector to diversify its oil-dependent economy. It has been trying to make the existing labour market more attractive by granting foreign workers the right to change jobs and leave the country without employers’ permission. The country’s Vision 2030 reform plan is a package of economic and social policies designed to free the Kingdom from reliance on oil exports.