By Irfan Mohammed
JEDDAH — Indian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom are preparing to assist visa violators from the community throughout the country from next Wednesday, when Saudi Arabia’s “Nation Without Violators” campaign formally begins.
There are practically no Indian Haj visa holders overstaying in the Kingdom and Umrah overstayers are also almost none. However, there are a large number of employment visa violators, according to an Indian official.
Both Ambassador Ahmed Javed and Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh met with community leaders on Saturday to chalk out a plan to help the violators leave the Kingdom without issues. They also called on the Indian nationals to avail of this opportunity for amnesty that would allow them to return home scot-free.
The ambassador briefed the community volunteers and explained in detail the various arrangements being made by the mission in Riyadh to help the needy Indians.
The consulate in Jeddah will set up 10 help desks while the embassy will set up 12 help desks in various provinces under their jurisdiction, according to Sheikh.
Help desks can be increased further according to the volume of applicants, he said.
The community leaders pledged to work closely with the consulate in this regard.
Sheikh said: “The Indian Consulate is soliciting active participation of the community to use suitably the 3-month grace period announced by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif.”
The consul general said the help desks would provide required assistance to all Indian nationals who wish to avail of the amnesty.
“The Indian mission is still waiting to receive clear guidelines from concerned local authorities regarding the criteria applicable. We will pass all such information to community members immediately when we receive them,” he said.
He explained that help desks in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah would be managed by the CGI missions there, while those in Jazan, Najran and Bisha by visiting consular teams. The Taif desk will be set up at the Indian community school and in Tabuk, Abha and Khamis Mushayt the desks will be at passport outsourcing agency offices.
All these centers will accept applications for emergency certificates from people who have lost their original Indian passports and are entitled to avail of the grace period.
Sheikh also made it clear that the travel documents would be issued in 7 to 10 days in remote areas and in less than four days in Jeddah and nearby areas.
Responding to a suggestion on the need to hire charter flights to repatriate the workers, the consul general said he was open to the idea but it can be confirmed only after knowing the volume of demand.
Several community members sought a mechanism for those who are waiting to receive pending arrears and whose cases were in courts to benefit from the amnesty. Some also called for free tickets to those who want to return home but cannot afford their airfare.
