By SIRAJ WAHAB | ARAB NEWS

DAMMAM: Rumors of expatriates having their exit-re-entry visas switched to exit-only visas at airports have no basis, said Passport Department officials across the Kingdom.

“There is absolutely no truth to it,” said Mohammad Al-Husayn, spokesman for the Passport Department in Makkah province. “If it is an exit/re-entry visa then it cannot be changed at the airports. The final exit is stamped only after a series of steps are taken both by the employee and the employer.”

The e-mails in circulation allege to have confirmed reports about two Indians (from Kerala) who were sent out on final exit despite having exit-re-entry visas.

“They were about to go on vacation using exit-re-entry visas, but once they reached immigration they were given final exit just because of the fact that they were in red category and had completed six years of service in Saudi Arabia,” one of the e-mails stated.

Government officials said that the six-year rule that will be applied to employees of companies not reaching nationalization targets are still some months away and when implemented it would not affect existing final exit regulations. read more