Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH – The Shoura Council on Monday approved amendments to the premium residency system allowing wife and children of the beneficiaries to enjoy the long-term benefits after the death of the holder of the residency permit. The privileges of the one-year premium residency will also be transferred to the wife and children until the residence permit (iqama) expires. Assistant Speaker of the Shoura Council Dr. Yahya Bin Abdullah Al-Samaan said that the Council took its decision after hearing the report of the Security Affairs Committee on the amendment that was read by the committee's Chairman Air Force Maj. Gen. Ali Asiri. The Council decision includes approval to add a new paragraph — Paragraph 3 – to Article 11 of the premium residency regulation, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. Dr. Al-Samaan added that in another decision the Council approved amending Paragraph Two of Article Two of the "Private Health Institutions Regulation". The Council took its decision after hearing the Health Committee report on the amendment, which was returned to the Council, pursuant to Article 17 of the Shoura Council System. The report was read by the Chairman of the Committee Dr. Abdullah Al-Otaibi, in the presence of Minister of State and Cabinet Member for Shoura Council Affairs Dr. Muhammad Bin Faisal Abu Saq. The Shoura also approved another decision to dismiss the approval of the draft regulation for transporting Umrah pilgrims to the Kingdom and back to their countries. The Committee said that on reviewing the Kingdom's Vision 2030, the National Transformation Plan (NTP) and services to pilgrims including several initiatives to develop the transportation services provided to Haj and Umrah pilgrims, as well as the updated executive plan for NTP, which facilitates the movement of Umrah pilgrims, the Shoura Council decided that there was no longer any need for such a regulation. Dr. Yahya Al-Samaan added that the Council approved, in another decision, the proposal to "amend the child protection regulation.
