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Why Saudi Temporarily Banned Visas For India, 13 Other Countries
Kashmir Observer
|APRIL 8, 2025 ISSUE
In a bid to streamline travel and reduce logistical bottlenecks ahead of the upcoming Hajj season, Saudi Arabia has revised its visa issuance policies, significantly narrowing eligibility for its electronic transit visa (e-stopover visa) and temporarily suspending short-term visas for citizens of 14 countries.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority has announced that the e-stopover visa a convenient option for travelers transiting through the Kingdom — will now be issued only to passengers arriving from or departing to countries designated as "Group A." The revised list includes 18 countries:
Canada, United States, Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and Mauritius.
Travelers from these nations will continue to benefit from the streamlined e-stopover visa process, while others are now excluded under the updated policy.
Temporary Visa Suspension for 14 Countries
This story is from the APRIL 8, 2025 ISSUE edition of Kashmir Observer.
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