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U.S. tightens visa procedures for Saudis

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
ABU DHABI Ñ The Bush administration has issued new regulations for Saudi visitors to the United States.

The regulations appear to end what Western diplomats described as liberal arrangements reserved for the processing of U.S. visa applications by Saudi nationals.

The U.S. embassy in Riyad have already begun implementing the changes, the diplomats said. They said the regulations have also been relayed to travel agencies in the kingdom.

The new regulations include a requirement that Saudi nationals submit passport-size photographs without Arab headdress. In the past, the U.S. embassy did not insist on this requirement.

Another measure requires Saudi applicants to provide their full address. In the past, Saudi applicants were allowed to provide their post office box.

Saudi visa applicants have dropped significantly since the Islamic suicide attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11. Saudi nationals have been warned against traveling to the United States and many students have returned to the kingdom over the last two months.

The Riyad-based Arab News reported that Saudis are now traveling to such countries as Egypt and Malaysia. The newspaper said the number of visa applications have dropped as much as 80 percent since Sept. 11.

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