RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a new initiative to cancel the visa sticker on passports and switch to the e-visa, from which data will be read via a QR Code. This initiative falls within the framework of automating and improving the quality of consular services provided by the ministry. As a first stage, the procedure has been activated at Saudi missions in the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines. The ministry aims to develop a visa-issuing mechanism — including work permits, residence and visit visas — in accordance with the latest technology. Last year, the ministry announced a mechanism for obtaining a “personal visit” visa, which enables visitors to enter the Kingdom to visit friends or acquaintances who are Saudi citizens. The visa also allows individuals to travel between the Kingdom’s regions and cities, perform Umrah rituals, visit Makkah and Madinah and other religious and historical sites, and attend cultural events. The ministry said that people can apply for the visa through easy and convenient electronic steps on the visa platform website. Saudi citizens can invite friends to visit Saudi Arabia and perform Umrah by submitting a request for a personal visit on the visa platform and applying for a “visit” request, by logging in through the unified national access platform, and filling out the data for the invitees.