Saudi Arabia: Dependent’s visit visa extension not linked to expat’s iqama expiry

Cairo: Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports has said that the expiry of an expatriate’s iqama or residency permit does not hold back renewal of a dependent visitor’s visa.

The explanation was in response to a query about the possibility for a resident whose iqama expired can still be able to extend visit visas for his children, Saudi news portal Ajel reported.

However, in September Saudi authorities dismissed as incorrect a report on social media claiming that the kingdom’s Interior Ministry has agreed to transfer the visit visa into a regular iqama for foreigners.

Saudi Arabia is home to a large community of migrant workers.