Saudi Arabia introduces e-scooters to speed passport services

DAMMAM: Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports has introduced e-scooters for its personnel at the King Fahd Causeway crossing in the Eastern Province, as part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and improve the traveler experience.

According to a Saudi Gazette report, the initiative is part of broader smart solutions aimed at increasing responsiveness and ensuring smoother processing of procedures at one of the Kingdom’s busiest border crossings.

The electric scooters are expected to improve service quality, particularly by assisting elderly travelers and people with disabilities. They help facilitate movement and streamline travel procedures across the crossing.

The initiative also supports better regulation of vehicle movement through lanes and gates, while enabling faster response times in emergency situations.

Saudi Arabia plans to expand the use of electric scooters across all ports as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize border operations.

Earlier, the Kingdom introduced stricter penalties for violations of travel document laws, including hefty fines and travel bans for Saudi citizens who breach official regulations.

Under the updated executive rules, Saudi citizens travelling to countries where travel is prohibited could face fines of up to SR30,000 and a travel ban of up to two years. Repeat offenders may see the fine doubled and face bans of up to five years.

The regulations, approved by Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, allow authorities to determine restricted destinations based on security assessments and official procedures.

It was stipulated in the executive regulations that the penalty would be multiplied in several circumstances. These include if the country is dangerous, or if it is a conflict zone, or if it is subject to travel restrictions due to emergency circumstances.