Saudi Arabia Simplifies Visa Process for Moroccans, 11 Other Countries with Digital QR Code System

In a circular, the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA) announced this week the abolition of sticker visas affixed to the passport for 12 countries including Morocco and Turkey. These visas will take the form of a QR code that its holder can present on their phone or on a printed document separate from the travel document, reports Arabian Business. Work, residence and residence visas issued "by some Saudi embassies and diplomatic missions" are affected by this measure.

The measure will come into effect on August 28 for holders of Moroccan passports. This transition will take place for Sudan (August 2), Uganda (August 7), Lebanon (August 9), Nepal (August 14), Turkey (August 16), Sri Lanka (August 21), Kenya (August 23), Thailand (August 30), and finally Vietnam (September 4). Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan and the Philippines are already experiencing it.

Introduced in April, the gradual digitization of visa procedures by Saudi Arabia is part of the initiatives launched in the wake of the Vision 2030 project to boost its tourism industry with a view to greater economic diversification.