Saudi Arabia Launches Two-Month Drive to Legalize Stay of Undocumented Yemenis
The campaign will cover all regions of Saudi Arabia and offer eligible Yemeni nationals opportunities to obtain free six-month visit visas, extend expired visas, correct residency status and transfer employment sponsorship.
Saudi Arabia will begin a two-month nationwide process on Sunday, October 11, to regularize the status of Yemeni nationals residing illegally in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
According to SPA, the General Directorate of Passports announced that the process follows directives from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, issued in response to a request from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman, Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi.
The initiative will cover all regions of Saudi Arabia in coordination with relevant authorities. It applies to four categories of Yemeni nationals whose immigration or residency status is irregular.
Four Categories Covered Under Regularization Process
The first category includes Yemeni nationals without valid passports or identity documents. They will be eligible for free six-month visit visas after booking appointments through the Absher platform and visiting designated regularization centers.
Applicants must provide proof of Yemeni nationality, including a passport or travel document issued by the Yemeni embassy.
The second category covers individuals holding expired visitor IDs or visas of any type. Those whose biometric information is already registered in Saudi systems will receive electronic six-month extensions without visiting passport offices, provided they hold valid passports.
The third category includes Yemenis with expired residency permits, known as iqamas. Those with valid travel documents may transfer to employers requiring their services through government digital platforms.
Professional workers can use Qiwa, while domestic workers can complete the process through Musaned. Absher will also facilitate relevant procedures.
Those wishing to leave Saudi Arabia may obtain final exit visas without restrictions on future re-entry.
The fourth category covers workers reported as absent from employment. They may regularize their status by cancelling absence reports and transferring to new employers through Qiwa or Musaned, provided their travel documents remain valid.
Saudi Arabia Establishes 23 Regularization Centers
According to SPA, the General Directorate of Passports will operate 23 centers across Saudi Arabia to facilitate the two-month process.
Riyadh will have four centers, while Aseer and the Eastern Region will have three each. Makkah, Jazan and Al-Jouf will have two centers each.
Meanwhile, Najran, Madinah, Al-Baha, Northern Borders, Tabuk, Qassim and Hail will each have one center.
The initiative will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and other relevant authorities.
Eligible Yemeni nationals will be able to complete several procedures electronically through Absher, Qiwa and Musaned without visiting government offices.
The nationwide process begins on October 11 and will continue for two months, allowing eligible Yemeni nationals residing illegally in Saudi Arabia to correct their immigration or residency status under the announced procedures.
