Saudi Arabia has suspended the issuance of multiple-entry visas for 14 countries, including Bangladesh, effective from 1 February under its new visa policy, according to a report published by the Times of India on Saturday (8 February).
The affected nations include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
As part of this policy shift, the Saudi government has indefinitely halted the issuance of one-year multiple-entry visas for tourism, business, and family visits of expatriate workers.
Under the revised regulations, travellers from these countries can now only apply for a single-entry visa with a maximum stay of 30 days.
However, diplomatic, labour, Hajj, and Umrah visas remain unaffected by these changes.
Saudi officials stated that numerous holders of multiple re-entry visas had been found violating visa conditions by residing illegally in the Kingdom and engaging in unlawful activities.
Furthermore, some tourists reportedly exploited their visas to perform Hajj beyond their permitted stay, constituting a breach of Saudi immigration laws.
