US reopens limited visa services for Saudi Arabia

The consular sections advised applicants to schedule appointments “only when they have made tentative travel plans but prior to final purchase of travel.” (File/Shutterstock)
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Updated 02 March 2021
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US reopens limited visa services for Saudi Arabia

  • Travelers can schedule appointments for a range of nonimmigrant visa categories online at ustraveldocs.com/sa/sa-niv-visaapply.asp.

JEDDAH: The US Embassy in Riyadh and its consulates general in Jeddah and Dhahran announced the reopening of routine nonimmigrant visa services in limited numbers as of March 1.
“The health and safety of our workforce and customers remains paramount. We continue to implement safeguards to keep staff and customers safe. Due to these measures, visa appointments are extremely limited and subject to change. The consular sections advise applicants to schedule appointments only when they have made tentative travel plans, but prior to the final purchase of travel,” the embassy said in a press statement.
It added that mission consular sections will continue to prioritize US citizen services, as well as immigrant, student and emergency nonimmigrant visas.
Travelers can schedule appointments for a range of nonimmigrant visa categories online at ustraveldocs.com/sa/sa-niv-visaapply.asp.
In March 2020, former US President Donald Trump ordered the temporary suspension of all “routine visa services” provided through US embassies and consulates in foreign countries and in the US.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Routine nonimmigrant visa services resumed in limited numbers as of March 1.

• Mission consular sections will continue to prioritize US citizen services, as well as immigrant, student and emergency nonimmigrant visas.

• Applicants advised to schedule appointments only when they have made tentative travel plans.

“Embassies and consulates will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20,” the US State Department said at the time. “As resources allow, embassies and consulates will continue to provide urgent and emergency visa services.”
Nada Al-Shingiti, a 27-year-old Saudi senior physiotherapy student, was relieved to hear the news, as she plans on continuing her higher education in the US.
“I felt relieved because the US is one of my top choices to continue my studies. And for them to reopen — the opportunity was very good for me and my family,” she told Arab News. “I’m really happy about it.”
Al-Shingiti will begin applying for her US visa within three months and hopes to have university interviews within six months to a year.
“Opening this for us — especially students — feels great, because we have been sort of put on hold,” said the student.
The reopening of student visas also gives medicine students a better opportunity to find jobs once they return to the Kingdom after completing their higher education, she added.
“Jobs here are not really open for people with only a bachelor’s degree, specifically people who are in the medical field, and opening visas means that we can further our chances to have jobs here.”


KSrelief completes Syria health initiative, continues in Sudan

Updated 6 sec ago
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KSrelief completes Syria health initiative, continues in Sudan

  • Eight volunteer surgeons on the medical team in Port Sudan have already performed eight specialized operations

RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian aid agency KSrelief has completed its neurology and urology program in Syria, while continuing a similar initiative in Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

Eight volunteer surgeons on the medical team in Port Sudan have already performed eight specialized operations.

In Damascus, Syria, the Amal volunteer program has concluded.

Twenty-six volunteers in Damascus examined 285 patients and performed 153 neurology and 162 urology operations.

 


First flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye land in Saudi Arabia

Updated 30 April 2025
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First flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye land in Saudi Arabia

  • Qualified staff fluent in several languages and equipped with the latest technology will help simplify entry procedures for pilgrims

Madinah: The first flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye arrived at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on Wednesday. The annual Islamic pilgrimage is set to take place this year between June 4 and 9.

Authorities are providing qualified staff who are fluent in several languages and equipped with the latest technology to help simplify entry procedures for pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported, and are ready to assist people arriving by land and sea as well as air.

An estimated 1.8 million pilgrims participated in Hajj last year.


Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

Updated 30 April 2025
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Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

  • The session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production

RIYADH: The eighth session of the Digital Communication Conference, titled “Anime in the Digital Space,” explored the transformation of Japanese anime over the past two decades, highlighting the impact of digital innovation and the internet.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production.

Streaming giants such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation were highlighted as pivotal players in the transition, offering translated or dubbed episodes immediately upon release and funding original series such as “Devilman Crybaby” and “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.”

Speakers in the session, including Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary, said that social media and online forums have opened the door to unprecedented engagement among fans, as well as community and cultural interaction, since audiences now take part in evaluating episodes.

Concerns were raised that heavy dependence on technology could erode the handcrafted aesthetic that defines traditional anime.

Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning interest in manga and anime, which dates back to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.

Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi society.

To support this interest, the General Entertainment Authority has hosted events like the Saudi Anime Expo, drawing international visitors.

In line with these efforts, the ministries of culture and education launched the Manga Education program to nurture student talent, as well as integrate arts and culture into public education.
 


Muslim World League chief meets UK Islamic leaders in Madinah

Updated 30 April 2025
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Muslim World League chief meets UK Islamic leaders in Madinah

  • Delegation visits International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography
  • Visitors reaffirm support for Palestinian cause, call for end to genocide in Gaza

LONDON: The secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, met British Islamic leaders in Madinah on Wednesday to discuss issues facing the UK’s Muslim community.

The visitors praised the MWL’s important role in the Islamic world and among Muslim minorities in Europe and the UK, highlighting its work to preserve cultural and religious identities.

They also noted that King Charles welcomed Al-Issa as the first Arab and Muslim figure from outside the UK to visit Buckingham Palace after his coronation.

The delegation visited the MWL-affiliated International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography, which tells the story of the Prophet Muhammad’s life.

During the talks they reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian cause and called for an “immediate end to the genocide being perpetrated against the people of Gaza by the brutal war machine of the Israeli occupation government.”

Gaza should be a symbol of unity, not division, among Muslim communities, they said, according to an MWL statement.

The delegation commended the 2019 Charter of Makkah, saying it helped foster interaction with non-Muslim audiences and promoted moderation in addressing contemporary issues.


Saudi deputy foreign minister receives Russia’s envoy in Riyadh

Updated 30 April 2025
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Saudi deputy foreign minister receives Russia’s envoy in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Russian Ambassador Sergey Kozlov in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The pair discussed relations between their countries and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Also on Wednesday, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki met Digital Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya in Islamabad, the diplomat wrote on X.

They discussed the importance of digital transformation and other topics of interest.