Indians travelling to Saudi Arabia no longer need police clearance for visa

The Saudi embassy in India tweeted they have removed the visa requirement for police clearance certificate for Indians

In a major development, the Embassy of Suadi Arabia issued a notice on Thursday evening saying that Indian nationals travelling to Saudi Arabia will no longer need a police clearence certificate (PCC) for a visa. 

The Saudi Embassy tweeted the following notice, "In view of the strong relations and strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of India, the Kingdom has decided to exempt the Indian nationals from submitting a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). The PCC will no longer be a requirement for Indian citizens to obtain a visa for travelling to Saudi Arabia. This decision has been taken as a part of the efforts of the two countries to further strengthen their relations. The Embassy appreciates the contribution of over two million Indian citizens living peacefully in the Kingdom."

 

Police Clearance Certificate is issued to Indian Passport holders if they have applied for residential status, employment, long term visa or for immigration. PCC cannot be issued for persons going abroad on tourist visa. 

The change in rules is expected to accelerate the visa process for citizens of India. With one less document to submit, the visa centers will also be able to take faster decisions enabling visitors to plan their trips to Saudi Arabia better.