Saudi Arabia launches ‘Awdah’ initiative to facilitate expats’ return home

Saudi authorities have brought in an initiative to facilitate foreigners wishing to return to their home countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Foreigners can register online in the Awdah (return) initiative recently launched for foreign residents having visas of exit and return, final exit, different types of visit as well as the tourist visas by applying via the electronic platform “Absher” to fly home, according to the Saudi news agency SPA.

The Ministry of Interior explained applicants can access the initiative by logging onto the icon “Awdah” on the “Absher” platform and filling in necessary information such as Iqama number, birth date, mobile number, departure city, and arrival airport.

All nationalities can benefit from the initiative as the applicant doesn’t necessarily need to have “Absher” account.

“The Ministry of Interior allows, exceptionally, all nationalities to register in ‘Awdah’ initiative launched recently, for residents holding visas (exit and return, final exit, visit of all kinds, tourism) to travel by air to their countries, by submitting return requests electronically via ‘Absher’ platform,” the ministry said on Twitter.

The “Awdah” initiative launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has been streamlined and all applications are processed through a unified system on “Absher” platform, the SPA said.