Riyadh records over 35,000 huroob cases

RIYADH: According to a recent report of its key achievements over the past year, the Riyadh Passport Department reported recording 35,661 cases of "huroob" (expat workers failing to report for work) last year.
The department also deported 33,511 foreign workers for violating labor and residency laws, and made 2,952 administrative decisions punishing violators of the law.
Additionally, the Anti-Forgery Department at the expatriate division considered 3,466 cases of forgery. These were among the department's greatest achievements in last year.
The annual report of the Riyadh Passport Department, which was published by a local newspaper, also explained that the department released 5,115 expats after investigating them in different cases.
The report said that the number of expats who left the Kingdom through King Khaled International Airport was 3.6 million, while about 2,584 of them were sent back from the airport due to their involvement in criminal cases. The number of arrivals through the same airport was 3.9 million expatriates.
The report said that the number of Yemenis who corrected their status in Riyadh and the affiliated provinces was 93,966. Of them, 71,021 were in Riyadh, 7,024 in Karj, 5,610 in Wadi Aldawaser, 1,893 in Aldowadmi, 3,347 in Almujammah, 1,405 in Quieyiya, 1,024 in Shaqra, 1,652 in Darma and 990 in Zulfi.
The department also undertook about 7 million transactions in total, according to the report, including issuing renewed Saudi passports, printing residency cards, issuing new passports, along with single exit/re-entry visas, multiple exit/re-entry visas, permanent exit visas, transfer of services and recording people's bio-fingerprints. A number of services were also extended to escorts, in addition to a range of other transactions.
The department listed the opening of the new reception lounge and passport issuance hall in Riyadh, the inauguration of a passport branch office in Malaz, the launching of the Passport Department at the Ministry of Interior and expanding the women's department in Riyadh among its major achievements of the year.
The report said that the department issued new passports for approximately 100,000 citizens, of which women accounted for 51,000.