Some foreign missions lag behind

Several consulates in Jeddah are experiencing overcrowding due to expatriates wanting to legalize their work status by the July 3 deadline.
The consulates of Sudan, Eritrea, Egypt, India open their doors as early as 7:30 a.m. Others have sought the help of volunteers in tackling the workload.
The Sudanese Consulate has adopted a new mechanism under which Sudanese residents can acquire a new national number without having to return to their country. While old Sudanese passports were issued without a national number, the new electronic passports must include them.
Arab News tried to contact Khaled Mahmoud, the Sudanese consul in Jeddah, to inquire about efforts being undertaken to help Sudanese residents in the Kingdom. Calls to him were not answered.
“Our consulate is still very slow at renewing passports,” was the response echoed by many Sudanese residents at the consulate.
“I visited the consulate a week ago. Passport Department officials told me I have to leave for Sudan. I cannot leave due to work commitments,” said Mohamed Othman, a Sudanese worker.
At the Eritrean Consulate, only 200 applications are processed each day.
An official at the Egyptian Embassy in Riyadh said that about 3,000 laborers are seeking to legalize their status. Adel Fadel, labor consul, said the embassy will try to provide jobs for Egyptians in different areas in around 15 Saudi and Egyptian companies.
The companies have requested the services of 200 truck drivers, as well as accountants, sales representatives and technical workers.
According to the consul general of Egypt, the Labor Bureau is advertising career opportunities on the office’s website, as well as the consulate website, with the aim of encouraging and assisting Egyptians contravening the terms of residency and employment status and who seek to correct their status in order to remain in the Kingdom.
He said that many Egyptians have applied to the Labor Bureau and have said that their sponsorships are currently being transferred to new employers in order to legalize their status. Those wishing to secure employment are urged to send their information to the Labor Bureau at the embassy in Riyadh.