Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman extends expiring reentry visas for 3 months
April 9, 2020, 7:55 am

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman extends expiring reentry visas for 3 months

King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends the virtual G20 summit this month. (File photo Reuters)

Reentry visas to Saudi Arabia which were set to expire between February 25 and May 24 will be extended for three months without charge, according to orders from King Salman bin Abdulaziz reported by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia has taken various measures to slow the spread of coronavirus, including imposing lockdowns and curfews on major cities and limiting domestic and international travel. The Kingdom has also temporarily halted access for the Umrah pilgrimage, one of its major sources of visitors.

According to the SPA, this latest measure is aimed at reducing the economic impact of coronavirus restrictions. It allows expatriates who work in the commercial field and are already in the Kingdom to extend their visa while travel to and from the Kingdom is currently suspended.

The announcement added that the visas will be automatically extended by the General Directorate of Passports, so visa holders are not required to go to the office and manually renew. Visa holders can also use the Absher app to access the service electronically.

source: Tommy Hilton

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”