The Maldives has welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia to facilitate the visit visa issuance process, either electronically or on-arrival, for Maldivians travelling to Saudi Arabia for tourism, Umrah, business, or visiting relatives and friends.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives stated that the government of Saudi Arabia has chosen to extend on-arrival visitor visa eligibility to eight countries. These countries are Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, as well as the Maldives.
The government of Saudi Arabia has brought to attention further concerns that require public awareness. Individuals arriving with on-arrival visas are requested to particularly ensure the validity of their visas. In addition, engaging in income-generating work is not allowed for individuals entering Saudi Arabia with on-arrival visas. Furthermore, individuals traveling with visas specifically for the Hajj pilgrimage will not have the authorisation to undertake separate Umrah pilgrimages.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid thanked his counterpart Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan and Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al-Khateeb for granting the on-arrival visa to the Maldives. As such, Minister Shahid said that the momentous development reflects the close relationship between both countries.