Abdulrahman Al-Misbahi Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has directed all airline companies to make sure all travelers to Europe have valid Schengen visas clearly stamped on their passports before they are allowed to board. In a circular to all the airline companies operating in the Kingdom, GACA said the visas should be obtained from the consulate or embassy of the specific European country to which the traveler is heading, not from the diplomatic missions of other European countries. The authority noted that some travelers might try to obtain the visa from other European countries that are not their final destinations. In a statement, it said: “In this case the traveler may face problems when entering the European Union. “Travelers to Europe should not just apply for the visa from their favorite consulate or the one nearest to them, otherwise they may face difficulties when entering other European countries.” GACA said the EU asked it to communicate this message to travelers.
