ABHA — Saudi Arabia has become one of the few countries that provide electronic visa service around the world. This visa is designed exclusively to open up the Kingdom for international tourism for the first time by facilitating the inflow of tourists, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper. Before 2019, it was very difficult to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism purposes. It was the Kingdom's Vision 2030 that has been instrumental in boosting this sector and triggering a great boom in tourism. The electronic multiple-entry visa is valid for one year from the date of issuance, and the online visa allows its holder 90-day stay after each entry into the Kingdom. It can be used for entry into Saudi Arabia through any of its seaports as well as through designated airports and land border checkpoints. Applicants for the e-visa do not need to provide a large set of supporting documents, although it is necessary to purchase a mandatory insurance policy to cover any medical expenses the traveler may incur. However, this is fully covered by the e-visa fee and processed by the Saudi government, so there is no need for the traveler to organize their own travel insurance independently. SG Arrival Card in Singapore In Singapore, all foreign nationals do not need a visa to visit the country. All passengers coming from abroad are required to have an approved SG Arrival Card for the entry. This card system has been implemented to allow travelers to meet the arrival card requirements prior to departure from their countries. It replaces the now-expired paper boarding/departure card (D/E card) system. Upon arrival in Singapore, travelers do not need to present a paper document, as the SG card is electronically linked to the same passport used to complete the online application. The traveler simply needs to present his passport to the immigration authorities for examination. However, they still have to carry a digital copy of the Arrival Card authorization on a mobile device in the event of any rare case of any problems with the electronic system. Visa Online in India The e-visa is available for tourism, business and medical travel to India since November 2014. More than 170 different nationalities are eligible for this digital visa. Both Business and Tourist e-Visas for India are multiple entry visas that allow the holder to enter India as many times as they wish within one-year validity period. A tourist visa allows for a consecutive visit of 90 days per entry, while a business visa allows its holder to stay for up to 180 days. On the other hand, a triple entry e-visa allows a stay of 60 days with each entry and is valid for 120 days from the date of approval. It is available either in the form of an electronic medical patient visa (for patients seeking medical treatment for a serious health condition at a recognized medical institution in India), or a patient medical companion e-visa (for up to two travel companions over the age of 18). Digital nomads The above digital visas are just a small section of the huge number of e-visa programs now available in countries around the world. Other regions that have applied e-visa include many Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Additionally, the e-visa market is set to witness massive growth over the coming years. Although not yet implemented, digital visa programs are also operating in Japan, Nepal and Tunisia. Furthermore, a number of countries around the world have now implemented e-visas for digital nomads working remotely in order to facilitate international travel for workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These include exotic beach destinations such as Barbados, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
