“NPR has amended some provisions of laws in order to facilitate passport processing and shorten periods for renewal of passports, visas, permits and allow inter-GCC travel using smartcard only,” NPR’s Director for visas and residence affairs Shaikh Ahmed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, said.
“Regarding the tourism and economic sectors, all administrative tools have been devoted in order to issue entry visas to tourist batches and businessmen through newly-introduced e-visa system and more services are being introduced for citizens, residents, visitors and transit passengers,” he said.
“A number of visas are issuable from the directorate, the most important of which is businessmen’s visa and visit visa issuable from the directorate or through the internet and also through the Kingdom of Bahrain’s ports. The issuance of visas from the directorate takes within 5 working days. Visas are issuable from ports to GCC residents as well as 36 other nationalities is issuable from passports officers in any port,” he explained.
“There’s no delay in the issuance of visas and residence permits generally or in the processing of applications and explained that individual cases for some applications may require further processing or other documents verification which results in delay in issuance or finalization of their processing. Therefore, delay does not happen in all transactions but only in very limited special cases and the directorate intends to upgrade the directorate’s services to applicants and users by 2012 so that issuance and follow up of visas can be done through the internet for all transactions,” he added.
Regarding new services and plans which shall raise and improve the standard of work, the director of passports, visas and residence affairs he pointed out that the directorate persistently and periodically seeks to raise the standard of its services in order ensure appropriateness of the services provided to satisfy the aspirations of the public.
“We therefore seek to upgrade the standard of services and increase quality of work through performance measuring indicators and to open branch offices in various parts in the Kingdom in order to facilitate transactions for applicants and users in addition to alleviating work pressure from the main building. He added that there will be gradual expansion in applying e-visa which constitutes a typical leap in the services provided by the directorate especially to major vital sectors including banking, tourism, insurance, telecommunications etc.,” he added.
“The directorate exerts efforts in order to process applications through the internet in line with the aspirations of e-government and considered NPR one of the pioneering directorates which implemented electronic services through the internet for issuance of tourist visas then expanded the services to include visit visas and businessmen visas for the business sector in addition to linking LMRA with the electronic visa system for issuance of employment visas. We’re still constantly developing our work in order to provide various visas and services using modern telecommunications and public access technology. NPR has won numerous prizes in this respect,” he said.
“Opening branches in order to facilitate processing in the various governments in the Kingdom is one of our top priorities,” Shaikh Ahmed said, while commenting with regard to the future plans to establish branches outside NPR main building.
“NPR has an office in the Security Services Building in Muharraq governorate and in Isa Town Shopping Mall in the central governorate in which passports services are provided now including the provision of visas and in future will also process residence permit applications. Work is still underway to open more branches in the various governorates in addition to a representational office for the directorate in Bahrain Investors’ Center in Seef Mall which effectively contributes in providing great facilitations to capitalists and companies operating in the Kingdom. All these services are provided under the same roof. NPR has a branch office in LMRA which NPR intends to expand in order to play a big role in facilitating services to applicants directly in LMRA main building,” he explained.
NPR’s director for visas and residence permits said that NPR has issued more than 135000 visas whilst visas issued for businessmen constituted 75% that is a total of 37041 through e-visas website: http://www.evisa.gov.bh
The directorate also provides various visas according to needs and demand. A new application form was introduced in July in addition to possibility of using previous forms until such time when they are exhausted then to totally shift to the new form.
Regarding domestic servants (or their equivalents) visa renewal or cancellation transactions, Shaikh Ahmed said that these transactions come under NPR’s domain meanwhile LMRA is concerned with transactions pertaining to the business sectors etc.
“Residence permits are renewable after submission of application to the residence permits section and attaching a copy of the sponsor’s smartcard and valid a Labour Ministry’s license issued in addition to original passport of an employee in order to stamp the permit on it. Also a medical report must be submitted in case of a worker from the Ethiopian and Eritrean nationalities,” he said.
“Regarding residence cancellation, this is possible upon submitting an application to the Residence Permits Section. Attach sponsor’s smartcard to the original worker’s passport in order to cancel the affixed residence permit. Residence visa renewal and cancellation transactions are capable of being processed instantaneously. Regarding required procedures in case of a worker’s changing from one sponsor to another LMRA is concerned with organizing procedures for expatriate workers in the private and public sectors. But, for domestic servants and their equivalent, the required documents include new sponsor’s smartcard, copy of worker’s passport, work permit issued from Ministry of Labour and letter of release from the previous sponsor as well as copy of smartcard and residence visa cancellation certificate from the previous sponsor. The entire process takes three working days or less,” he added.
NPR’s director said that there are facilitations to foreigners who are resident in GCC countries who may wish to visit the Kingdom of Bahrain. Foreigners who are resident in the GCC countries are permitted to obtain visas through the e-visa website or issued an instant visa upon entry into the Kingdom or a port for one week which is renewable for another week. A ministerial resolution defines eligible applicants and requirements for this type of visa which should be satisfied by a prospective visitor imposed only for organizational matters whilst the government seeks to attract tourists and facilitates their entry.
“Formula 1 is one of the pioneering projects which positioned the Kingdom of Bahrain on the world map because this project is highly significant in supporting Bahrain’s economy. NPR, before the start of each and every season, makes all preparations and works with full energy in order to contribute with other relevant bodies to ensure the success of Formula 1 season in terms of administrative organization and issuance of visit visas for this event directly through the ports or via the special website on the internet as well as through the competent section concerned with issuance of this visa in NPR according to eligibility and satisfaction of the requirements,” Shaikh Ahmed said.
“Multiple visas are issuable for Formula 1 visitors for a period of two weeks until the day on which the event comes to an end. NPR cooperates with Bahrain International Circuit regarding all other functions hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain throughout the year for instance Formula 3 and various other events.”
“Regarding actions to be taken against anyone whose visas or residence permit has expired, if they voluntarily show up at NPR after expiration of the validity of their visa, they shall be repatriated after they undergo administrative processing. However, in case violators are caught by the competent authorities, NPR shall apply the rules and regulations against the violators of visa regulations in compliance with the law according to the type of visa and the volume the violation and then a violator shall be referred in order for the judicial authorities to apply the law then repatriate such violator.”
“Regarding actions to be taken against anyone who misuses a visa, a record shall be taken for the incident against anyone found guilty of the misuse of a visa(s) then legal and administrative actions shall be taken against them in coordination with the competent authorities in order to take the necessary actions against such violators.”
The director of Visas and Residence Section in the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPR) Shaikh Ahmed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa emphasized that NPR was the competent authority which provides services to satisfy the honourable public in compliance with the laws regulating its business and that NPR welcomes any remarks or suggestions from citizens and resident expatriates in line with its open-doors policy as emphasized in the directives of the wise leadership, Minister of Interior, and the Ministry of Interior’s Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence whilst seeking excellence as illustrated by their constant follow up of workflow in NPR and during weekly meeting with concerned officials.