Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Health Insurance Council has said that the payment of new health insurance premium is required for the renewal of visit visas.

“When requesting to extend the visit visa, a new insurance coverage for the extended period must be issued and to be linked to the website of the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat),” the council said in a statement on its Twitter account.

Health insurance coverage can be obtained through licensed insurance companies in the Kingdom such as Tawuniya, Bupa, Medgulf, GulfUnion, Arabian Shield Cooperative Insurance, Arabia Cooperative Insurance, Al-Etihad Cooperative, Al-Sagr Cooperative Health Insurance, AXA Cooperative, Allied Cooperative Insurance Group (ACIG), Al- Rajhi Takaful, Walaa, and Saudi Enaya.

The Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the extension of the period of stay for single entry visit visas to three months. The duration of the stay of transit visas has also been extended to 96 hours without any fee.

The Council had approved the changes in the structure of the visa system in this regard. The Cabinet decision will be applicable to the single entry of visit visas for all purposes.

According to the amendments in the visa structure, validity of the transit visa for visit will be three months and the duration of stay is 96 hours, free of charge. At present, single-entry family visit visas are valid for 30 days, while multiple-entry visas are valid for 90 days.