Saudi Gazette reports that visas for Saudis visiting the US will have their period of validity extended to five years for new applicants. As the Kingdom does a good job of enforcing reciprocity—ensuring that the same conditions apply to Saudis as apply to the other countries issuing visas—this should lead to five-year visas for Americans as well.
The extended validity of visas is part of the continuing shake-out of conditions following the 9/11 attacks in the US. Because Saudis came under greatly increased scrutiny in obtaining visas, it became difficult if not impossible for Saudis to enroll in American universities. They might get a visa to start their studies, but then find that they couldn’t get a new visa to continue or finish them. A five-year period should take care of that problem, even if intensive English courses are part of the study program.
Saudi businessmen (as most other businessmen) are also busy people. They don’t relish the fact that they have to appear in person at a US Consular office to obtain their visas (a condition the Saudis don’t impose on Americans, by the way). Having to do it once every five years rather than every two or three years is a gain. Further, with visas now costing over US $100, longer validity means less expense.
US grants Saudis 5-year visit visas
Joe AvancenaDHAHRAN – The American Consulate General in Dhahran, Eastern Province is now issuing non-immigration visas valid for five years to Saudi citizens who will be traveling to the United States for business or tourism purposes.
Joseph A. Kenney, the US Consul General in Dhahran, addressing the 2nd Saudi Arabia International Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference Sunday, said the five-year visa is issued on a reciprocity basis, which means that the Saudi government will also provide five-year visas to US citizens.
The visa arrangement between the US and the Kingdom was signed in May of this year. The US is already implementing the arrangement for Saudi citizens, and it is expected that Saudi Arabia will reciprocate by granting Americans the same visa treatment.
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November:04:2009 - 09:54
What the headache is (at least for me) though is that with a resident visa in Saudi, as an American, I only get a 6 six month exit/re-entry visa to visit my own country!
November:04:2009 - 12:10
I hear you Sparky. I think 5 year multiple exit/re-entry is overdue. Without the permission slip would be nice as well.
November:04:2009 - 12:51
I hear you sista too! Sometimes it takes more than 6 months to make one feel refreshed and proud to Be an American
Ahhhhh
November:04:2009 - 15:49
I have run across this visa problem in helping a brilliant and dedicated Saudi student apply to graduate programs in the US. The visa people make life unnecessarily difficult, and fail to appreciate the delays, and time frames of academia. Then there was the “International recruiter” who stalled so long the student missed the deadline for an excellent program for which the student was an ideal candidate and a department that wanted him. Hard to know if the recruiter is just incompetent, or doesn’t want brilliant Saudi students on generous scholarships who have already proven at another uni that they have adapted well to North American life and can more than keep up with their US peers.
November:04:2009 - 15:57
I’m glad that it is easier on both sides now (USA and KSA) to travel to each others countries. Several of my Saudi family members now have the five year visa. And like Sparky and Sandy said, if those of us who have resident visas could have the same flexibility it would be an additional icing on the cake. My stay in the US has extended more than six months so when I depart I need to get a new multi-entry visa to return.
November:04:2009 - 19:24
This isn’t news. The five-year visa reciprocity agreements for student (F) and tourist (B1/B2) visas were signed in May of 2008. The consular section in Riyadh was slammed with applicants from that day on and has been issuing record numbers of visas – as many as 40-50% more than the year before, with unprecedented levels of demand.
Nearly all Saudis receive full-validity visit and student visas. The problem is for American business travelers… very few Americans have been able to get visas from anywhere other than Washington for more than six months to two years. A business colleague of mine was actually refused entry to the Kingdom for having a “fake” visa – as the border guard told him, Americans can’t get five-year visas!
November:04:2009 - 19:27
Chiara, I used to work in the visa section in Riyadh. Trust me, we fully appreciate the necessity to get students to the US on time for their programs. We don’t always pull it off, but the problem cases are the ones that get the most attention. If you’d ever seen us staying until midnight on a weekend to print a student’s visa so she could make her 8 AM flight the next morning, you’d understand.
November:04:2009 - 20:39
H,
the problem isn’t the consulate employees, but with the US regulations that discourage travel.
November:04:2009 - 23:04
h–thank you for your reassurance and as someone who knows about student behaviour, as both a prof and a therapist, I can well appreciate the scenario you describe, and congratulate you for your efforts.
Indeed, as Me said, the problem seems more on the US end, including the I-20, which is required and must be attached to a university where one is accepted into the program. Not unrealistic in itself, but the unis seem very concerned about timing for visas including the I-20; and yet they have such people in the International student’s office who seem rather lackadaisical. In this case the student had the visa but the I-20 was the ringer.
November:05:2009 - 04:23
There are other problems as well. I know folks with their student Visa’s all in place, but their mother’s can’t get a visitor Visa, or misses their child’s graduation. That was a year or two ago. Hopefully that is better now.
November:05:2009 - 10:08
Wait a minute. Issuing five years visa does not mean stopping the humiliation we Saudis face at the boarders by the officers of the Department of Homeland Security(“DHS”). The DHS has been treating businessmen,students,tourists, and even patients with all due disrespect that they learned during Bush’s presidency.
I visited the US in July-2009 and was treated horribly.
Why does the US State Department issue 5 years visa, whereas the DHS is still thinking that everyone of us is a potential terrorist?
Are not both departments supposed to be working in the same Cabinet?
November:05:2009 - 10:15
Same Cabinet, different Cabinet officers…
Don’t feel particularly put upon by DHS (whether the TSA or Immigration). They treat everyone miserably. US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan recounted how he had to repack his suitcase, after collecting his clothing scattered over the floor, when TSA decided it needed to search his luggage. Every time I flew in or out of the Middle East (not just Saudi Arabia) I also got ‘special’ treatment, being selected for enhanced scrutiny. Both Jordan and I, held US Diplomatic passports.
I think security officials take special classes in how to behave offensively, but that may just be me.
November:05:2009 - 22:22
If it makes anyone feel any better, I have been disarmed of knitting needles (European 2mm eg like spaghetti) and cuticle scissors for cutting the knitting thread–so no I travel with a crochet hook and nail clippers for cutting the thread.
I don’t mean to minimize what it is like to be selected for “special treatment” but rather just to say border security guards are also “special”.
November:05:2009 - 22:34
Their understandable motivation is to be sure no terrorist event happens because they didn’t do their jobs by the book. That–as ‘zero tolerance’ programs across society–leave no room for common sense. After all, do you want to be recorded in history as the one who let the knitting needle-wielding terrorist take over the plane?
November:06:2009 - 01:52
Hey! They took my nail clippers!
November:07:2009 - 09:28
Imagine what one could do with an eyebrow curler? I suppose I could cut off a finger…Had that taken from me at the US embassy.
Security in Switzerland tried to snag my US passport, but thank God I counted them all. I was also asked if I had any weapons in my suitcases. Well, if I did and I had ill intent I sure the hell wouldn’t say yes.
I want to be airsoft guns (for son) to Saudi and was checking to see the laws but am unsure if they are allowed. 99% my guess is not allowed.
November:07:2009 - 09:29
oops I said eyebrow instead of eyelash LOL
This is what happens when one spends the whole day teaching…Ewe imagine curling eyebrows. Creepy if at all humanly possible…
November:07:2009 - 12:02
I admit I was intrigued. A whole new world of eyebrow care was opening up before me….
November:07:2009 - 19:04
Indeed! I have to admit no scrawny knitting needle wielding bookworm would take over my plane if I had anything to say about it!
Ladies, it seems we have the makings of a new-type “bomb squad”: knitting needles,cuticle scissors, nail clippers, eyelash AND eyebrow curlers (there have to be some somewhere. Why even a grannie could be armed and dangerous with those items! LOL:)
Sandy–teeny tiny nail clippers!