Saudi Gazette report

MADINAH — The Passport Department in Madinah has completed the departure procedures for 38,924 residency and labor law violators as of Monday, Al-Madina newspaper reported quoting the Maj. Gen. Khaled Al-Huwaish, director of passports in Madinah.

Al-Huwaish said the procedures were finalized at the passport offices in the city, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, and the Yanbu airport and seaport.

Al-Huwaish revealed that while verifying the documents of departing expatriates, the passport officers identified 41expatriates of various nationalities wanted by the police for criminal and security-related issues.

"The campaign is proceeding very smoothly and the procedures are simple and fast," he said, and urged all violators to avail of the amnesty to leave the Kingdom voluntarily so that they will be able to return to the Kingdom legally any time in the future.

The passport director explained that those who have overstayed their Haj, Umrah or visit visa could leave directly through the Kingdom's various air, sea and land exits.

"Expatriates with expired residence permits, those have not been issued them, and those who have been reported by their sponsors for running away should process their departure papers through the passport departments," he said.

An initial 90-day general amnesty as part of the Interior Ministry's A Nation Without Illegal Expatriates campaign began at the end of March and was extended by a month. It will end on June 25.

The violators who opt to leave the Kingdom voluntarily during the amnesty period will not be fingerprinted and may return to the Kingdom for work legally anytime in the future.

They will not be subject to fines, imprisonment or any other kind of punishment.

The authorities have warned of intensified security campaigns to arrest any illegal expatriate who remain in the Kingdom after the June 25 deadline. Those arrested will face severe punishments including hefty fines and imprisonment.