Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia started refunding work visa fee after canceling the visas that were stamped on passports of foreigners who were unable to travel to the Kingdom due to the suspension of international flights.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the launch of a mechanism in this regard.

The cancellation and refunding of the stamped visas will be considered effective from the date of issuance of the royal decree on March 18.

Several Saudi diplomatic missions abroad granted visas for workers for the private sector and their passports were stamped. But the workers were not able to travel to the Kingdom due to suspension of flight services as part of the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

This initiative is out of the keenness of the Saudi government to support all government and private agencies in order to mitigate the effects of the preventive and precautionary measures taken to combat the pandemic.

The National Information Center has also been roped in to implement the initiative in along with Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.