Saudi Arabia: Multiple-Entry Visas for Foreign Businessmen

JEDDAH, 19 September 2007 -- The Council of Ministers yesterday decided to authorize Saudi embassies abroad and immigration authorities at Saudi airports and other entry points to issue multiple-entry visas valid for 12 months to foreign businessmen.

Visa applicants would not be required to furnish any invitation letter from a Saudi host or the chamber of commerce and industry, as was previously required.

The multiple-entry visa means that business travelers to the Kingdom would not need to go through the process of getting a letter, authorized by the local chamber of commerce, each time they need to come to Saudi Arabia.

The multiple-entry visa is also useful for frequent travelers because it can be used instead of a series of single entry, passport-page-sized non-removable stickers that can eat through the pages of a frequent visitor's passport.

In the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers held at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Monday night, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah also said he hoped that all Somali factions would join and all its neighboring states would support the national conciliation agreement signed by the Somali leaders under the Saudi initiative.

King Abdullah hoped that the agreement would herald a new era of peace and prosperity in Somalia and eliminate the terrorist elements attempting to get a foothold in the area.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the meeting, Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Madani said that the king briefed the council of the details of his recent meeting with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The council also authorized Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi to discuss a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation with Britain in the field of technological and vocational training, Madani said.

Another decision taken by the Cabinet was to continue allowing the import of Palestinian products into the Kingdom with the Saudi government shouldering their customs fees for another year.

Madani said the Cabinet approved the restructuring of the Health Services Council under Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie for three years.