Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday the launch of a unified visa platform named “Saudi Visa,” aimed at simplifying visa application procedures.
This initiative is part of the country’s effort to attract more tourists in the coming years. The platform links with over 30 public and private entities to facilitate various visa processes, including Hajj, Umrah, tourism, and work visas.
Full Digital Transformation by 2024
Saudi Arabia announced plans to fully digitize government services by next year, consequently making physical visits to public agencies unnecessary. Moreover, this was announced at the Digital Government Forum in Riyadh, which started on Tuesday, attended by local and international government bodies, ministers, experts, and decision-makers.
Leadership in Digital Services
Engineer Ahmed Al-Swayan, Governor of the Digital Government Authority, revealed at a forum that Saudi Arabia is a regional leader in the UN ESCWA’s e-government. In a World Bank Group index, Saudi Arabia ranks third globally among 198 countries.
Achievements in Digital Services, Cost Savings
Al-Swayan highlighted the significant savings and achievements in digital services by public agencies. For instance, the “Absher” platform of the Ministry of Interior saved 23 billion Riyals (6.1 billion dollars).
It reduces millions of visits and offering various digital services.
Digital Government Procurement
Al-Swayan disclosed savings of 5.5 billion Riyals (1.5 billion dollars) through the review of budgets for over 200 projects of 4 framework agreements.
Efficiency in Legal, Municipal Services
The issuance of power of attorney through the “Najiz” platform of the Ministry of Justice now takes 3 minutes, compared to 100 minutes previously. The duration of litigation has decreased by 77%, from 427 to 98 days. In the municipal sector, field visits have been reduced by 95% due to 90% of services being available digitally.
Advances in Health Sector
In the health sector, 36% of all consultations are now virtual, as per the Ministry of Health. Additionally, surgical operations are 30% quicker, thanks to 3D printing technology.
Regarding the global digital economy, Khaled Al-Sunaidi from the Gulf Cooperation Council predicts significant growth. Specifically, he estimates it will reach 25 trillion dollars in 5 years. Furthermore, he highlights an exponential increase in global internet data, from 100 gigabytes daily in 1993 to about 45,000 gigabytes per second in 2017.
“Saudi Visa” Platform
Assistant Foreign Minister Abdul Hadi Al-Mansouri announced the launch of the “Saudi Visa” platform to develop digital services and facilitate user access. The platform aims to streamline visa application processes in collaboration with more than 30 ministries, agencies, and private sectors.
Digital Solutions in Education
The Saudi Education and Training Evaluation Commission launched the “Tammiez” platform. It provides electronic solutions to facilitate school evaluation procedures and live data for users. It also integrates with related entities’ systems and automatically issues school evaluation reports and various assessment results.
Intellectual Property Platform
The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property introduced the “Intellectual Property” platform during the forum. This platform offers a comprehensive database enabling rights owners and investors to communicate with right holders.
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