Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends visas for visitors

RIYADH: All visitors currently inside Saudi Arabia, whose visit visas are about to expire, will now be able to extend their stay for up to 180 days, after paying a fee.

The move was taken after Saudi Arabia decided to suspend all international flights for two weeks in light of the outbreak of coronavirus.

According to the directives of Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Bin Nayef Bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior, the General Directorate of Passports will now allow holders of all types of visit visas to extend their stay in the kingdom.

They can do so through Absher platform or by visiting the General Directorate of Passports’ offices in case they cannot extend it online.

The General Directorate of Passports affirmed it was coordinating with the National Information Centre to list the exceptional extension service among the services provided by the Ministry of Interior’s Absher platform.

It may be noted that Saudi Arabia had extended flight and travel bans over coronavirus fears to include the European Union and 12 other countries after announcing 24 new cases overnight to bring its total to 45, state media reported.

Citizens and residents in the affected jurisdictions were given 72 hours to return to the kingdom, state news agency SPA had said, citing an official source at the Interior Ministry.