Bahrain yesterday launched an ambitious e-visa system, under which citizens of 33 nations can apply for entry permits online.
The system is the first step in the e-Borders project underway at the General Directorate of Nationalities, Passports and Residence.
"It is the first such system in the Middle East and one of the first worldwide," Sheikh Ahmed bin Isa, director of residence and visas at the department told a press conference here yesterday.
The e-visa system is an online method of applying for visas for entry from anywhere in the world. "Some advantages of this system to the traveller are that visas can be applied for quickly over the Internet at any time, from any location and payment is made online at the time of the visa application, removing the need to pay in local currency at the arrivals counter at Bahrain International Airport.
"Also it means quicker processing at the arrivals counters as passport and passenger details will already be there," he added.
Sheikh Ahmed said the new entry permit is an electronic visa and does not require a stamp on the traveller's passport prior to arrival in Bahrain.
The system was developed by SITA, an international company that provides a wide range of border management and control solutions to governments throughout the world through an alliance with CPS Systems of Australia, developers of similar systems for other governments.
Those eligible for the e-visa include citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and the Vatican. Passengers from these countries are already granted visas on arrival at the Bahrain airport.
An e-visa costs seven dinars ($18.50), the same amount passengers currently pay at the airport. The amount is paid through "a very secure and encrypted" site. "I think it is sort of impossible to penetrate the site," Sheikh Ahmed said.
Initially, applications will be processed manually and the department will try to process applications within 72 hours.
"As the system is developed further, the approval of applications will be automated," he said.
Gulf News
