Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago said Thursday that 737 Filipinos have obtained exit visas since July 3 through the Passport Department in Wafideen and the Social Welfare Authority.
“The process to get a final exit visa in Riyadh has been facilitated. The system in place after the extension of the amnesty is simpler; in the past there was a long waiting period and individuals had to go to the airport Passport Department to get an exit visa number,” he said.
He added that a person qualified under the government guidelines and with no pending cases can receive an exit visa on the same day.
Tago announced that the embassy has booked and purchased 652 tickets for distressed Filipinos in Riyadh, and 123 for those in the Eastern Province or a total of 775 as of July 27. The embassy will also book flights for another 150 community members by the end of this month.
The envoy said that he visited the Passport Department at Shumeisy District many times since July 3, attesting that the process has been made easier. “I would like to extend my appreciation to the Jawazat officials who have been very accommodating and cooperative, ensuring they provide services to the largest number of expatriates possible,” he said.
He added that the schedule for females at the Passport Department in Wafideen District is Tuesdays and Wednesdays (8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. during Ramadan) and Thursdays during the same time for males.
He urged female compatriots who have not undergone fingerprinting and who do not possess residency permits or passport documents to coordinate with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh to process their documents at the Social Welfare Authority.
He reminded all males to ensure that they have paid their traffic violation penalties and to clear any record on a previously owned vehicle. “The embassy is ready to assist community members to clear penalties and cases at the police department,” he said.
737 Filipinos granted exit visas since July 3
