GCC national ID not valid for travel

GCC national ID not valid for travel

RIYADH: Using a national ID as a document for traveling to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries remains suspended, a spokesman for the Eastern Province Passports said. Citizens wishing to travel must verify the conditions of the destination country and ensure they are met, Mualla Al-Otaibi added. In February last year, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to suspend GCC citizens’ use of national identity cards for travel to and from the Kingdom, coinciding with the onset of precautionary measures to combat COVID-19. Al-Otaibi said the border points of the Eastern Region Passports had resumed work after the lifting of travel suspensions through all air, land and sea ports on May 17. “Preventive maintenance work was carried out for all border backup devices and systems,” said Al-Otaibi. A further 10 lanes have been installed in the departure area, bringing the total number of lanes to 27, with 36 lanes in the arrival area. King Fahd Causeway Passports increased its operational capacity by 30 percent to facilitate passenger travel. The spokesman said that meetings and workshops were held with port authorities to ensure speedy and smooth travel, while applying all precautions. The movement of passengers leaving for Bahrain had decreased sharply