Subsidies on seven services set to go

RIYADH: The government is expected to remove subsidies on seven services and enforce the new visa regime, besides the fees on municipal services, with effect from the new Hijri year, corresponding to Oct. 2.
The government had subsidized the seven services by 50 percent and the same was extended by the Cabinet three years ago, local media reported on Saturday.
The seven services that will no more be subsidized are ports, passports, car driving license, car transfer, traffic violations, renewal of residence permits (iqama) for domestic workers and tariff (customs) protection for 193 commodities.
In August, the Cabinet approved imposition of fees on municipal services and asked the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs to issue, within 90 days of the issuance of the decision, by-laws and necessary decisions to implement the fees. The minister was also asked to introduce a schedule taking into account gradual implementation of the decision with the right to delay or stop such municipal charges in certain cases.
In the same month, the Kingdom also decided to raise the fees for visa and traffic violations in response to initiatives offered by the Ministries of Finance, Economy and Planning to boost state revenues.
Under the new rules, the entry visa fee has been fixed at SR2,000. However, first-time Umrah pilgrims have been exempted from the rule.
A six-month multiple-entry visa will cost SR3,000, 12-month visa SR5,000 and 24-month visa SR8,000. A transit visa will cost SR300. The exit-reentry visa for six months will cost SR600.