New e-passport rule for Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia

The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has made prior appointments mandatory for Bangladeshi expatriates seeking biometric services for e-passports in Saudi Arabia.

The new rule will take effect from Wednesday, September 9.

From that day, the embassy will not collect biometric data from applicants without a scheduled appointment, according to an urgent notice issued by the embassy on Monday.

The embassy said a large number of applicants arriving without appointments had created overcrowding and disorder inside and around its premises. The decision was taken at the request of local authorities to maintain order and ensure smoother service delivery.

Under the new system, applicants must book an appointment online before visiting the embassy for biometric enrolment. They have been asked to use the embassy’s designated appointment portal to select a date and time.

Applicants whose biometric appointments have already been confirmed can continue to visit the embassy at their previously scheduled dates and times.

The embassy urged all expatriates to follow the new procedure and avoid unnecessary crowding to ensure orderly and efficient delivery of e-passport services.