Saudi Arabia deadline for illegal expats expires today

RIYADH: The deadline for illegal expatriates to voluntarily leave Saudi Arabia is set to expire on Monday, July 24 (today), as the royal amnesty extended to violators of residence and employment regulations terminates.

A 90-day amnesty period, launched countrywide earlier this year under the “A Nation Without Violations” campaign, was extended for another 30 days effective from June 25 to allow violators of all nationalities to leave the country without penalty.

The Kingdom’s General Directorate of Passports has warned strict action would be taken against undocumented expats staying illegally in the country following the expiration of the amnesty. Penalties would range from arrest, imprisonment to fines.

The Pakistani consulate in Jeddah said it has received 5,000 applications from Pakistani expats who do not yet have a passport. These expats are being issued travel documents, the consulate added.

According to the General Directorate of Passports, no further extension in the amnesty would be granted and the stay of undocumented expats in the Kingdom would be considered illegal following the expiry of the deadline.

Around 5,72,488 expats have benefited from the amnesty, the department said.

The amnesty applied to people of all nationalities, and allowed those staying illegally in the Kingdom to leave voluntarily without facing legal action.

“A Nation Without Violations” campaign was launched by Saudi Arabia to enforce a countrywide drive to track and control violators of residence, employment and border-security systems.