'Saudi Visa Bio' biometric app launched in Malaysia, to facilitate pilgrims' registration

According to Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Mahmoud Hussein Saeed Qattan, Saudi Arabia's move to launch the smartphone app in Malaysia reflects the strength of the relationship between the two countries.

At the same time, it reflects the Saudi government's confidence in the Malaysian agency that manages Hajj and Umrah, he said.

"The Saudi Arabian government, in issuing Hajj and Umrah visas, has taken the initiative to develop a smartphone-based biometric fingerprint app by investing in advanced, safe and easy-to-use technology," he said in his speech at the launch of the app, here, today.

The Saudi Visa Bio app, which is currently in its first phase, will use fingerprints or faces to complete the Umrah or Hajj visa issuance process.

The app will also allow Hajj and Umrah visa applicants in Malaysia to register their data via smartphone, and their visas will be issued electronically without having to visit a visa issuance centre.

Among the advantages of visa application through Saudi Visa Bio app is that when pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia, they only need to match their data without having to re-register - facilitating their entry process through any gateway.

The app was launched in Saudi Arabia in 2021 by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and is in line with the order of Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to offer the best services and facilities for pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia is the first country in the world to use biometric registration technology via smartphones for electronic visa issuance.