By Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH —The Indian Passport and Visa Application Centers, operated by VFS Global in various cities across the Kingdom, will start offering consular services in a staggered manner effective from June 3. The centers in Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu and Abha will work from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Saturday to Thursday.

The resumption of the service is in view of the announcement of the Saudi authorities’ partial relaxation of curfew orders for private sector companies, according to a press statement of the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah. Priority in appointments will be given to those whose passports have already expired or are due to expire soon and who need to travel or renew iqama (residency permit).

Certain measures have been taken to strictly follow the norms of physical distancing and avoid crowding. Accordingly, prior appointment for submission of application for passport or attestation related services is mandatory and no applicants without confirmed appointment will be entertained.

Appointment can be sought by sending an email preferably at [email protected] or through Call Centre (Tel. No. 920006139). Only the applicant with confirmed appointment will be allowed to visit the center. No applicant without a face mask shall be allowed to enter the center.

The applicants are requested to comply with the Saudi health protocol and avoid crowding at the center. The Consulate had announced earlier that it would accept applications for passport and passport-related services from Indian nationals directly from May 5 onwards.

However, an unprecedented rush of Indian nationals in the premises of the Consulate and the subsequent intervention of Saudi authorities on May 5 had prompted the Consulate authorities to suspend the direct consular services until further notice.

The Consulate also announced that body temperature of each applicant will be checked prior to the entry and hence applicants with symptoms of illness must avoid visiting the centers to avail of consular services.