The Eastern Province Passports Department will begin the third phase of the national fingerprinting system in which the issuing of exit/re-entry, multiple visit and exit only visas will be linked to the fingerprints of the applicant as of May 26. Maj. Gen. Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Humaidi, Director General of the Eastern Province Passports, has called on expatriates to visit the department's offices or the locations allocated for taking fingerprints as soon as possible in order to avoid any delay in the issuance of visas when they intend to travel. He stressed that no visa will be issued to any expatriate who does not complete the required procedures. Al-Humaidi pointed out that the fingerprinting offices in the Eastern Province Passports Department or the two fingerprinting offices in Giant Stores in Khobar and Al-Majdou'iy Complex in Dammam are ready to receive expatriates. This applies to expatriates under the sponsorship of Saudi individuals and small companies. As to expatriates working for large companies, corporations and industrial cities, there is a vehicle operated by Passports Department personnel that will visit them at their place of work. He stressed that the fingerprinting system will be implemented for all expatriates, as this achieves national security goals in the best interest of the nation, citizens and expatriates. Al-Humaidi called on all companies to coordinate with the Technology Section in the Eastern Province Passports Department so as to set specific times for their workers to have their fingerprints taken. He confirmed that a special women's section has been provided with female employees to receive expatriate women and take their fingerprints. He stressed the necessity of visiting the fingerprinting offices before May 26 because no visa will be issued whatsoever without the expatriate applicant's fingerprints having been taken.
