MANAMA: Interior Ministry, Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has said that the launch of the second phase of the new facilities to issue visas on arrival and online has added value to multiple-entry visas.
He said it marked the completion of the first phase launched in October. The facilities include an increase in the number of countries benefiting from entry visas to 102, thus placing Bahrain among developed countries in terms of entry procedures.
The current phase aims to bring qualitative changes in entry visa procedures through the introduction of multiple-entry visas for visitors to GCC countries. These can be obtained in fast and simple steps by applying through the website www.evisa.gov.bh. The visitors are issued multiple-entry visas valid for one month, with the provision of a two-week stay in Bahrain.
Businessmen, residents of GCC countries and the nationals of the 102 countries covered in the first phase can obtain multiple-entry visas with the provision of a two-week stay that can be renewed. The first visa is valid for one month and the second for three months.
The NPRA Undersecretary said the new facilities aim to spur the progress of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 under which the government plans to improve the linkage of Bahrain with regional and international markets by upgrading the systems and procedures. This will transform Bahrain into a special place for economic activities for local and foreign companies.
The new facilities include an extended period for a visa’s validity and converting it into a multiple-entry visa which should help attract foreign investors and offer fast and easy travel from and to Bahrain by reducing the time to obtain visas. With the facilities offered by other official entities, Bahrain becomes an advanced location for entry and transit facilities.
Shaikh Rashid said that in addition to the new facilities for entry visas, the NPRA offered a five-year multiple-entry visa for the nationals of the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland. It also offered a one month pre-arranged renewable visit visa for all nationalities and an on-arrival three-month and single visa for the nationals of the UK and Ireland.
He said the NPRA strove to offer excellent services by implementing quality assurance and international standards. The facilities include the visa-issuing system that will be expanded to cover all services to meet the Kingdom’s aspirations to improve government performance.