Saudi Arabia to regularise status of undocumented Yemenis from October 11

Saudi Arabia will begin regularising the status of Yemeni nationals living in the kingdom illegally on Sunday, October 11, in a process that will run for two months and cover all regions, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The General Directorate of Passports will implement the measures in coordination with relevant authorities, following directives from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in response to a request from Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, the report said.

Four categories covered by the process

The directorate outlined four categories of Yemeni nationals eligible to correct their status, with different procedures depending on their documents and residency circumstances.

1. Those without Yemeni documents or passports

Eligible individuals will receive a free six-month visit visa. They must book an appointment through the Absher platform, select a regularisation centre and attend at the designated time with proof of Yemeni nationality, such as a passport or travel document issued by Yemen’s embassy.

2. Holders of expired visitor IDs or visas

Those whose biometric data is already registered in Saudi systems will have expired visitor IDs or visas of any type extended electronically for six months. They will not need to visit a passport office but must hold a valid passport.

3. Residents with expired iqamas

Individuals with expired residency permits, or iqamas, and valid travel documents can transfer to employers who require their services through the relevant digital platforms.

Professional workers can use Qiwa, while domestic workers can use Musaned. The process can also be completed through the Ministry of Interior’s Absher platform, without visiting government offices.

Those wishing to leave Saudi Arabia can apply for a final exit visa, with no restrictions on re-entering the kingdom, SPA reported.

4. Individuals reported absent from work

Yemeni nationals with valid travel documents who have been reported absent from work can correct their status by cancelling the report and transferring to another employer through Qiwa for professional workers or Musaned for domestic workers.

23 regularisation centres across Saudi Arabia

The directorate said 23 centres for correcting the status of people violating border security regulations will operate across the kingdom.

The centres will be distributed as follows:

Riyadh: Four centres

Aseer: Three

Eastern Region: Three

Makkah: Two

Jazan: Two

Al-Jouf: Two

Najran, Madinah, Al-Baha, Northern Borders, Tabuk, Qassim and Hail: One each

The two-month process is intended to allow eligible Yemeni nationals to regularise their status through procedures tailored to their documentation and employment circumstances.