The Director General of the Directorate of Passports of the Eastern Region, Brigadier General Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al-Awfi, confirmed on the continuous coordination with the business sector in the region with a view to improving the services provided and aspirations in all fields. He stressed that the Passports Department in the region receive ideas to develop its business service for all.
This came during the Tuesday monthly meeting that was held by Asharqia Chamber at its headquarters on Tuesday August 7, 2018.
The meeting was attended by the Chamber's deputy chairman Hamad bin Mohammed al-Boali, the Board Member Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Ansari, and a remarkable presence of businessmen as well.
It was conducted by Secretary General of the Chamber, Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Wabel.
It was opened by the Chairman of the Chamber, Abdul Hakim Al-Ammar Al-Khalidi, in which he explained the great efforts exerted by the Passports Department in the Eastern Region for the citizen and resident.
He stressed their various services, which became easy and was one of the reasons to encourage investment in the Kingdom in general and the region in particular.
Al-Khalidi said that the electronic switch of Passports through the Ministry of Interior website that embraces the platform (Absher Business) facilitated many tasks for the business.
He pointed out that these great efforts and facilities continue as planned by the wise leadership to support and encourage the business sector in order to achieve the ambitious vision of the Kingdom 2030.
Furthermore, Brigadier General Al-Awfi said that the statistics and figures that are announced by the Passports of the region indicate a high volume of transactions through electronic services. He pointed to the importance of digital transformation in the completion of transactions, where the statistics of electronic walnut services for 1438 reached 23.036.899 services.
Al-Awfi said that the Directorate General of Passports provides electronic services through platforms (Absher) and (Absher Business) and (muqeem) to seek the application of e-government in the real sense.
Nowadays, it is possible to implement transactions electronically and without the need to review the headquarters of passports, which helps in achieving many advantages such as accessing the electronic services around the clock and at any time, the welfare of access to the service anywhere inside or outside the Kingdom, and avoiding waiting and crowds of visitors in the Passport offices, and also avoiding traffic congestion at peak times.
He added that the service (Absher business) is directed to individual establishments that contain 100 sponsored or less to terminate services related to their sponsors. It provides various services such as issuing and renewing the residence of the sponsored, issuing and revoking the exit and return visas for the sponsored, transferring the service or changing the profession (for professions subject to the Ministry of Labor), the extension of business visit visas, the delegation of electronic services, the request for printing, delivery and documentation. There are also many queries that allow the beneficiary to view the data of interest to him.
Al-Awfi announced the opening of a new Passport office in the Eastern Province, where a vital area in Dammam will host the new headquarters within two years.
Al-Awfi said that the Directorate of Passport-in support of electronic services to enable the beneficiary to access the service electronically 100% without the need to review the passport offices- signed an agreement with the Saudi Post that aimed at delivering documents to the registered national address of the beneficiary where it is possible to issue a Saudi passport or issuance or renewal of residence request via Wasel mail since the beginning of the year 1437.
In the same year, the identity of a resident, an alternative to the residence card, was launched and is characterized by electronic renewal and printing every five years, in an effort to achieve the expansion of the electronic services for the purpose of (management without auditors).
Al-Awfi stressed the importance of adhering to regulations for the protection of society, as well as the business sector, and keenness to stay away from suspicious subjects such as dealing with violators and infiltrators who hide behind them many irregularities that affect the homeland and the citizen and resident as well.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi ports are witnessing an increase in the number of transients, where the Passports and in coordination with the relevant authorities increase the capacity of absorption.
In the Passports of King Fahad Causeway and in coordination with King Fahad Causeway Authority increase the number of departure routes from (18) to (21.)
The expansion of the arrival section has been implemented to increase the number of routes from (17) to (38) to keep pace with the large increase of passengers.
The statistics for the year 1427 showed that (13,921,233) passengers, a daily average of (38,140) passengers. While in the year 1438 (24,836,795) passengers crossed the border with a daily average of (70,160) passengers.
The Causeway recorded, on the 4/10/1439,the highest daily statistics since its opening as it reached (117.935) passengers.
In addition, the Passports of King Fahad International Airport and in coordination with the General Authority of Civil Aviation increased the number of entrance counters from (18) to (31) and departures from (14) to (24).
In conclusion, the Chairman of Asharqia Chamber of Commerce, Abdul Hakim Al-Ammar Al-Khalidi, honored the Director-General of the Directorate of Passports of the Eastern Province, Brigadier General Mohammed bin Suleiman Al-Awfi, with a commemorative shield.
