Tourist visa vs Family visit visa: Confusion persists over new rules; Many Indians stranded in Saudi Arabia [details]

Effective September 1 of this year, Saudi Arabia’s new visa rules potentially opened up travel for millions of visitors. The Kingdom streamlined and relaxed its visa options for residents from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE, among others, making it hit the headlines for its goal of attracting 100 million visitors.

However, the confusion over Saudi Arabia’s new tourist visa rules has recently landed many Indians on the wrong side of rules. As per a report in Telangana Today, a 62-year-old Hyderabadi woman was stopped by officials at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Clueless and shocked, she was apprised by the officials that she had exceeded the maximum period of stay allowed and thus violated visa rules. She was, reportedly, sent back from the airport and not allowed to board the Hyderabad-bound flight.

Hers has not been a one –off case, but rather one in a series of similar cases being reported every day ever since the new visa rules came into effect. Her husband had arranged a tourist visa, via an agent in Hyderabad, instead of the family visit visa.

Relaxed Saudi visa rules means there are more and more Indians reaching the Kingdom but on a tourist visa rather than family visit visa. While some misuse the eased process of tourist visa, instead using it to land jobs or search for work, several unwittingly violate the visa rules.

Visa validity vs Period of stay

There is a grey area that several Indians have been found violating. The validity of visa does not equal or amounts to the period of stay; thus making many Indians exceed the maximum period of stay. Indians arriving on tourist visas, often mistake visa validity for one year for multiple entries.

Just before the due date of 90 days, they leave Saudi Arabia to neighbouring countries like Bahrain and Jordan and return for another round of extended stay. Which is why many Indians have been stranded in Saudi Arabia for overstaying beyond 90 days and charged with hefty fines.

Family visit visas vs Tourist visa

Many are unaware that unlike family visit visas, tourist visas are not extendable beyond 90 days regardless of whether the holder leaves the Kingdom and enters again. The total period of stay should not exceed 90 days.

What the rules say?

Under the new Saudi Arabia visa rules, the multiple-entry tourist visa holds validity of one year from the date of issuance and the permissible period of stay is 90 days. A single-entry tourist visa holds a validity of three months from the date of issuance and the permissible period of stay under single entry tourist visa is 30 days.