Saudi Arabia eases tourist eVisa for GCC residents, Schengen visa holders
September 2, 2022, 12:14 pm

Saudi Arabia eases tourist eVisa for GCC residents, Schengen visa holders

Saudi airlines/Official Facebook page

Saudi Arabia will allow GCC residents to easily apply for eVisas while residents of the UK, US and EU can get a visa on arrival, the Kingdom announced on Thursday (Sep 1).

The announcement was made following a decree signed by the Kingdom’s Minister of Tourism. The GCC resident permit must be valid for at least three months in order to qualify for an eVisa.

Holders of a valid tourist or business visa from the UK, US or Schengen visa holders can continue to avail the visa on arrival provided that the visa was used to enter the visa-issuing country at least once.

The tourist visa does not allow its holder to perform Hajj and Umrah, Al Arabiya reported.

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“Elevating the visitor experience is at the heart of the tourism sector’s future,” Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed al-Khateeb said, adding that the move aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 goals.

It is worthy to note that over one million eVisas have been issued since its introduction in 2019.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”