Expats in last-minute rush for Saudi amnesty

In a bid to benefit from the amnesty offered by Saudi Arabia, thousands of undocumented expat workers have approached the expatriate affairs departments in the country. The amnesty period is scheduled to close on Monday, reports say.

Saudi Gazette reports that huge crowds were seen at expatriate affairs departments at deportation centers across the Kingdom from Arar in the north to Asir in the south.

Image credit: Saudi Gazette

Indonesia

A total of 7,421 Indonesians have left the country by registering at the Indonesian consulate in Jeddah, a source told Saudi Gazette. The figure is three times less than the number registered during the amnesty in 2013.

Umar Badarsyah, vice consul for information, social and cultural affairs at the Indonesian consulate, told Saudi Gazette that many undocumented workers were expecting another extension of amnesty considering the advent of Haj.

Some Indonesians did not benefit from the amnesty because they were reported to the police, others had problem in their data entry in the system.

Indonesian diplomatic missions issued over 13,000 travel documents in Jeddah and Riyadh to their nationals, according to officials at Indonesian embassy in Riyadh.

Yemen

Yemen consulate in Jeddah is processing the exit papers of 300 citizens daily through border check post via Shahrouh in Najran province. Yet, several Yemenis are on waiting list to complete exit procedures at Shumaisi deportation center, according to Yemeni diplomatic sources.

Ethiopia

Nearly 60,000 Ethiopian nationals from Jeddah region alone applied for exit visas.
"We are confused due to the lack of information," admitted Ethiopian Consul General Wubishet Dimise.

Sudan

Sudan also intensified efforts to facilitate paperwork of its workers. Around 47,000 Sudanese expatriates are expected to return home from Saudi Arabia within coming days, Sudanese Expatriates Organ has said. "Around 33,000 Sudanese will return from Riyadh and 14,000 from Jeddah, 60 per cent of them workers and craftsmen, by Monday," said Karar Al Tuhami, Secretary General of the Sudanese Expatriates Organ, at a press conference on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pakistan

Over 75,000 Pakistanis have applied for travel documents in Riyadh and Jeddah, according to Pakistani diplomatic sources.

Bangladesh

Over 50,000 Bangladeshis intend to return home, according to Bangladesh diplomatic sources. Some 45,000 were able to complete their exit procedures across the Kingdom. A total of 20,000 have already left the Kingdom.

India

Nearly 31,000 Indians came forward to return home under the amnesty. Many of them have left the Kingdom, but officials have no idea how many still remain as the information has to be shared by Saudi officials, the report added.

The illegal expatriates who don't leave within the time frame will be forcibly deported or face punishment.

Source: Khaleej Times