Saudi Arabia extends residency visas of stranded expats

Saudi Arabia is to extend residency and visit visas to 2 June for expats stuck in countries on the travel ban list, according to a statement by the Saudi Press Agency on 24 May.

The free extension of the validity of iqamas (residency permits) and exit and re-entry visas from red-list countries prohibited from entering Saudi Arabia was issued in a royal decree by King Salman bin Abdul Aziz.

Visas will be automatically renewed, according to the General Directorate of Passports.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation also issued guidelines for institutional quarantine procedures and for those who are non-Saudis citizens, not immunized and those coming from red-listed countries.

The kingdom's Health Ministry announced that more than 12.9m doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far, equivalent to 37.3 doses for every 100 people.

It also reported 1,157 new cases on 24 May, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 442,071, less than 0.3% of total cases globally.