Visa validity extension, e-residency services and passport office in Riffa

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Discussions are progressing to extend the validity of visas to reduce routine procedures, revealed top LMRA and NPRA officials yesterday.

The official also announced that Kingdom would start replacing residency permit stickers with e-residency services by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

These decisions came during a meeting by Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, with Labour Market Regulatory Authority Chief Executive, Jamal Abdulaziz Al Alawi.

“The development of facilities would promote the investment environment and coordination mechanism in processing applications without in-person attendance through e-linkage between the two sides,” said Al Alawi. Among other decisions, the meeting approved opening a passport office at the LMRA branch in Riffa.

“This would help enhance procedures to facilitate operations, especially getting the residency stickers without reaching NPRA centres.” The officials also decided to form a team of the executive management of both sides to ensure ongoing facilitation and development of procedures. Discussions further focused on cooperation between the two agencies at ports in the Kingdom, streamlining visa services, and exchange of expertise.

They also reviewed remarks of some investors, hotel managers, and workers that could enhance competency and facilitate procedures. The NPRA and LMRA officials further agreed to intensify inspection campaigns to tackle violations of the labour market and residency rules.