WE all know that the Passport Department has regulations and certain rules for visitors coming from Arab and Islamic countries who have relatives, whether Saudi or expatriate, in the Kingdom. We also know that visitors must comply with regulations and rules to avoid penalties. In the Kingdom we have expatriates who entered the country as visitors and have not been able to return to their homeland due to political turmoil, war and destruction in their homeland. In fact, some of them have gone through a lot of hardship in trying to flee their countries. They are living here and their visitor visas get renewed every month or every two months once they pay their renewal fees. However, the passports of many of them have expired because they have not been able to go back to their homeland and renew them. They are also unable to visit their embassies and consulates. A passport with a valid date is required to renew a visitor visa. Now the problem is that those with expired passports can only have their visitor visas renewed through the Jeddah Passport Department, which means that Passport Departments in Makkah, Taif, Al-Lith, etc., which used to accept all types of visitor visa renewals, cannot offer this service anymore. As a result, visitors who want to have their visas renewed have to go to Jeddah, regardless of where they live in the Kingdom. They also have to pay fees if they fail to renew their visa on time. This is getting difficult for a large number of them. Therefore, I hope the Passport Department makes the duration of the visitor visa longer. For instance, they could prolong it to six months and not increase the fees. I also hope the Passport Departments in Makkah, Madinah, Taif and Al-Lith are given back their powers to renew a visitor visa as they used to do. Making the visa duration longer will also reduce the pressure on Saudi sponsors or expatriate relatives who brought these visitors to the Kingdom. As most of us know, expatriates with visitor visas are not allowed to work in the Kingdom and the people who brought them over to the country should be responsible for providing their accommodation and living expenses and for paying their visitor renewal fees.
