Faris Al-Qahtani Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — After a break for the Eid holidays and through 49 centers all over the Kingdom, the Passports Department (Jawazat) has resumed status correction for Yemenis who arrived in the Kingdom before April 9, according to a Jawazat spokesman. The correction will continue until the end of Shawwal (Aug. 15) after which no application in this regard will be accepted, the spokesman said. Under the exercise, ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Yemen nationals in the Kingdom will be given a six-month renewable “visitor's” card. The card will allow the Yemenis to work for the private sector and also enable them to have free of charge education at all government schools and free medical treatment at government hospitals. According to a statement by the Jawazat, as many as 354,863 Yemenis have so far corrected their status. The Jawazat has asked all the eligible Yemenis to avail the facility as soon as possible and warned them that only travel documents from their embassies and consulates will not alone legalize their stay in the Kingdom. Director of information affairs at the Riyadh Jawazat Lt. Col. Saud Al-Rishood said the department started work on Monday by distributing sweets among the Yemeni children accompanying their parents as Eid gifts. The first correction period which started on May 10 continued until July 16. The second period began on July 20 and will continue until Aug. 15. Jawazat spokesman in Madinah Col. Hisham Al-Raddadi said only a small number of Yemenis approached the department on Monday. But he expected the number to increase during the coming few days. He urged illegal Yemenis to avail the opportunity extended to them and correct their status without delay. In Jazan, a large number of Yemenis came to the correction center after midnight on Sunday. “Those who came early before 4 a.m on Monday were able to complete their procedures while those who came later had to leave empty-handed,” said an illegal Yemeni on condition of anonymity. Hassan Issa, another illegal Yemeni, called for a new mechanism to enable them to correct their status quickly in view of their large numbers. Col. Tariq Al-Khanain, director of the correction center at Princess Noura Bint Abdulaziz University in Riyadh noted that the number of Yemenis seeking correction was decreasing in view of the great efforts made by the Jawazat in all regions. He said those who may come to the Jawazat seeking correction after Aug. 15 will just be wasting their time as nothing will be done for them. Salah Al-Awadi, a Yemeni diplomat, said the embassy has established 27 committees to work side by side with the Jawazat in the correction process. He said many Yemenis were still approaching diplomatic and consular missions seeking travel documents.
