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Saudi Arabia Expands Visitor e-Visa to Eight Additional Countries 

Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Expands Visitor e-Visa to Eight Additional Countries 

Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries. (SPA)

In a bid to make it easier than ever before to experience the authentic home of Arabia, Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, for leisure, business, and religious (Umrah only) travel.

Nationals of these countries can apply for a Saudi visitor visa ahead of their journey via the official e-visa portal.

The Kingdom is reimagining the tourism experience, with the famously warm and generous Saudi welcome, known as Hafawah, at the heart of its plans. The visitor e-visa is valid for an entire year, grants multiple entries, and permits a stay of up to 90 days. Visit Saudi offers an online trip planner for visitors to create custom itineraries with ease.

From visiting the Kingdom’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, snorkelling and diving in the Red Sea – one of the world's most spectacular undiscovered diving spots, wandering Taif's world-famous Rose Gardens, shopping like a local in Riyadh's Deira Souq, chartering the unknown on land in the lush, green Asir region and tasting Saudi Arabia’s diverse and delicious culinary scene, from fragrant Arabic dishes to internationally-renowned fine dining restaurants, there is something for everyone.

Since launching the e-visa program in 2019, Saudi Arabia has welcomed 93.5 million visits in 2022, a 93% increase compared to 2021, resulting in a tourism spend of SAR 185 billion (USD 49 billion). This rapid tourism growth is due to expanding visa initiatives, which now include 57 nations and two special administrative regions, compared to the initial 49 countries at the program's launch.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia extended regulations to provide a visitor e-visa to holders of valid Schengen, United Kingdom and United States of America visas that have been used to enter those countries before arriving in Saudi Arabia and to permanent residents of EU and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the UK and US.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia announced the launch of the free 96-hour Stopover Visa, allowing passengers to stay in the country for up to 96 hours. Stopover Visa holders will be eligible for a complimentary one-night hotel stay during the stopover when booking through SAUDIA.

Travellers can use the Stopover Visa to explore the Kingdom and perform Umrah. Religious travellers can book flights through SAUDIA and Flynas and register for Umrah through the Nusuk platform.

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Gulf

MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.

Gulf

MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.

Gulf

First Flights of Makkah Route Initiative Beneficiaries Arrive in Madinah

Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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First Flights of Makkah Route Initiative Beneficiaries Arrive in Madinah

Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The first flights carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The pilgrims arrived from Türkiye, Pakistan and Bangladesh and entered through the initiative's terminal at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.

The Makkah Route Initiative aims to deliver high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries by receiving them and completing their procedures with ease in their homelands. This begins with biometric data collection and the electronic issuance of Hajj visas, followed by passport procedures at the departure airport after verifying health requirements, and the coding and sorting of luggage in line with transport and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom.

Pilgrims then proceed directly to buses designated to take them to their residences in Makkah and Madinah via dedicated routes, while partner entities ensure their luggage is delivered to them.

The Ministry of Interior is implementing the initiative in its eighth year in cooperation with the ministries of foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and media, along with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program, and the General Directorate of Passports, in integration with the digital partner stc Group.

The initiative has served 1,254,994 pilgrims since its launch in 2017.