Hassle-free system Abshir gains popularity

Abshir — a paperless system for re-entry visas available electronically at various governments departments — is gaining popularity.
Regional passport offices and the traffic police no longer provide services at their offices. Officials there now refer applicants to the online system.
The Ministry of Interior's e-service facility also provides for the renewal of driver's licenses, vehicle registrations and re-entry visas for dependents.
According to an insurance firm, requirements for the renewal of vehicle registrations or driver's licenses remain the same. The website would have a complete record of all activities of a user, including vehicle inspections and payment for services.
Arab News visited the headquarters of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday and found some expatriates filing out application forms at an e-service terminal.
Registering online requires a person to set up an account on the ministry's website www.moi.gov.sa and having fingerprints scanned. A person has to click the icon “new user” and follow the instructions. It is mandatory to have a national identity card or residence permit. Entering an invalid mobile number will result in the rejection of the registration. It is illegal to use someone else's identity or mobile number.
A Sudanese translator, who got a re-entry visa renewed for one of his dependents, recently, said he was told to open an account online. “It really makes life easy for us,” he said, adding that the technology places Saudi Arabia on par with many advanced countries in the world.
A Filipino engineer, Hussein Aziz, who used the system two years ago to get a birth certificate for his newborn daughter, said the ministry's portal was introduced in 2011.
“You can view your dashboard account linked to the ministry and passport office. You can view your traffic violations and location of the accident.” He said a person could also get exit/re-entry visas for family members, and renew visit visas.