RIYADH: The Interior Ministry of Saudi Arabia will issue visas online for families of expatriates without visiting the Passport Department or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A source said the move would save time and prevent overcrowding at visa offices for expatriates wanting to bring their families on visits.

The new measure would also exempt expatriates from attaching several documents along with their visa applications, the source stated on Tuesday.

The move follows the ministry’s successful pilot program to test the system. The ministry has determined that digitizing visit visas would improve the department’s performance and save expatriates’ time and effort, the sources said.

However, applicants must enter their data correctly and exactly as it appears in the civil registry and on their residence permits. The data of their family members must also be exactly as it appears in their passports.

Applicants should also undertake to provide appropriate housing for their family members, medical insurance and ensure their departure before the expiry of the visa period. They should also undertake that their visitors follow all the laws and regulations of the Kingdom during their stay.

Applicants must also clearly specify that the purpose of the visit is to meet the family and not perform Haj or Umrah. There would be penalties for those failing to comply.

Meanwhile, the ministry will start to allow the public to make appointments electronically for services provided by the Department of Recruitment Affairs from Sunday. These services are available at www.moi.gov.sa under the recruitment icon.

BDST: 1901 HRS, JAN 14, 2015