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Saudi Arabia has made a heavy increase in visa fees as part of its effort to diversify its non-oil economy in a move that is likely to affect millions of foreigners including Nepali migrant workers.Saudi Arabia is the largest work destination for Nepalis in terms of the number of workers it hired last year.The oil-rich kingdom hired 138,529 Nepalis in the fiscal year 2015-16.Gulf-based newspapers reported that the new visa regime came as an effort to boost state revenues in an era of low oil prices. Saudi Arabia’s total budget deficit amounted to almost $100 billion in 2015, a year marked by plummeting oil prices.The new visa regime, which came into effect on Sunday, requires foreigners entering the kingdom to pay up to 8,000 Riyal, which is equivalent to Rs230,000. According to the revised visa regime, foreigners entering the kingdom in multiple entry visas will have to
pay SR3,000 for a six-month period, SR5,000 for a yearand SR8,000 for two-year entry. Earlier, foreigners had topay SR500 for two-year multiple visa.
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