KSA makes biometrics for expat women ‘mandatory’
05:23AM Wed 9 Apr, 2014
Jeddah: The Passport Department will soon make it mandatory for expat women over 18 to record their biometric information if they want to travel, get new iqamas and final exit visas.
Women would have to register their biometric details at a local passport office, according to local media.
“This move is one phase of a plan that began years ago to record the biometrics of all expat men and women,” said the report.
The department said on Tuesday it had begun recording the biometrics of expat women from March 21.
Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director general of the department, said the new measure would be implemented in phases. “The first phase is for women who apply for new iqamas and final exit visas,” he said.
He said the system was optional for expat women previously. “We now want to make it mandatory to protect their rights and speed up services,” he said.
Arab News
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