Saudis to get passport within 24 hours

Saudis to get passport within 24 hours
Updated 06 November 2015
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Saudis to get passport within 24 hours

Saudis to get passport within 24 hours

RIYADH: The Passport Department is working with Saudi Post to provide citizens their passports within 24 hours if they apply online.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the department said the new system would serve individuals and companies. The new “Wasil” service came into effect this Hijri year, which began on Oct. 24.
According to Sami Al-Owaidi, the Saudi Post vice president, the system is up and running. It also includes the provision of identification cards for expatriates, known as the Muqeem cards.
He praised the Interior Ministry for overseeing the smooth delivery of 200,000 official documents “without any problems” recently, which has helped to reduce overcrowding at government offices.
Meanwhile, according to reports published in local media on Wednesday, many companies and individuals have not been able to make use of the postal service because of incorrect or incomplete addresses.
There were reportedly many people still visiting the passport department’s offices throughout the country, including in Hail. People interviewed there said their companies had not uploaded their correct addresses to access the Muqeem service.
A representative from the passport department in Hail said that individuals and companies must make use of the Wasil, Muqeem and Abshir services because it would save them a lot of time and energy.
There was reportedly a similar situation in Qassim, where many people came to get their documents that they had applied for online, while others filed their applications in person.
A Passport Department official in Qassim was quoted as saying that people can receive most of their services through online services.