RIYADH — The King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah, and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have received the first batches of passengers with transit visas to visit the Kingdom. The immigration offices of the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) at the airports completed the travel procedures for the passengers within a short span of time. This follows the launch of the electronic Stop-over Transit Visa by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for those arriving in the Kingdom by air, effective from Jan. 30. The Jawazat confirmed that it completed all arrangements related to the arrival and travel procedures of transit visa holders at all Saudi airports. It has deployed better-qualified personnel and more advanced technical devices to serve the e-visa holders. Transit visa holders can stay in the Kingdom for four days and the validity of the visa is three months. The visa is free of cost and it can be issued instantly along with the flight ticket. The ministry clarified that visa holders can travel throughout the Kingdom and attend various events. As for those wishing to perform Umrah, they have to apply through the Nusuk application. They can also visit the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. However, transit visa holders will not be allowed to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. The ministry launched the new service in coordination with the relevant authorities and Saudi national carriers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that applications for transit visas can be submitted through the electronic platforms of Saudi Arabian Airlines and Flynas. The applications will automatically be passed to the Unified National Visa Platform at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for processing. A digital visa will be issued immediately and sent to the beneficiary via e-mail. The transit visa holders are allowed to drive rented cars during their four-day stay in the Kingdom. The Public Security said in a statement on Wednesday that car rental firms could utilize the authorization service for allowing transit visa holders to drive rented cars. Anyone arriving in the Kingdom by air on transit visas for visits can benefit from the driving authorization service. The rental procedures of cars can be carried out through the Ministry of Interior's 'Absher Business' electronic platform.
