Saudi Arabia to replace visa stickers with QR codes for India and six other countries
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published May 5, 2023, 5:35 PM ISTThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Middle Eastern country has started a new initiative to replace the visa sticker on the recipient's passport with an electronic visa that can be read by a QR code.
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has announced the adoption of digital initiatives while also altering the visa requirements for citizens of India and six other nations. The most significant change is the replacement of the visa sticker on the passport with QR codes.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Middle Eastern country has started a new initiative to replace the visa sticker on the recipient's passport with an electronic visa that can be read by a QR code.
It was revealed in a communication that the new initiative's initial phase will be implemented in the missions of the Kingdom in seven nations. The list of nations also includes the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
The new system is a component of Vision 2030, which gradually introduces digital governance. The action is part of a plan to finish automating and improving the consular services offered by the ministry by creating a system for granting various types of visas, including work, residence, and visit visas.
The new system will send visa information to registered email addresses of visa holders, who may then print it off on A-4 size paper to have a physical record proving they have a valid visa.
The new approach will increase transparency and drastically shorten the time it takes to process visas. According to reports, the new visa policy will also remove India's current travel agent system, which requires applicants for Saudi visas in New Delhi and Mumbai to obtain endorsement from travel agents.
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