Embassy says Saudi decision on biometric visa data irreversible

AMMAN — The Saudi embassy in Amman on Monday said the decision to adopt the biometrics system for Jordanians wishing to perform umra or Hajj (the lesser and greater Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca) is irreversible.

The embassy said in a statement that it directed the company handling visa applications to speed up procedures and open more centres across the Kingdom to facilitate visa processing.

Registering visa applicants’ biometric data is a security measure and a sovereign Saudi decision which many other countries apply, the embassy added.

The decision aims to facilitate entry procedures for Saudi Arabia’s visitors, the statement said, adding that the system has been applied successfully in more than 16 countries in its first phase, especially in states with hundreds of thousands of potential pilgrims.

The second phase of the system will be applied soon to cover all of Saudi Arabia’s missions.

The Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA) on Sunday suspended its umra operations for the current Islamic lunar year in protest against the new measures.

JSTA President Shaher Hamdan said the society will continue with this suspension until biometric data collection procedures are facilitated and amended for those seeking to perform umra.