Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — About 20,000 Indian nationals have applied for Emergency Certificates (ECs) to leave the Kingdom in view of the amnesty granted by the government that ends July 3. As of Sunday, the Consulate General of India has already issued ECs to about 5,000 applicants, a press release issued here said. The consulate has received about 19,700 applications for ECs as of Sunday. A total of 92 ECs issued in 2011 and 2012 have been renewed/revalidated by the consulate, the press release said. Meanwhile, the consulate has received 7,500 passports from Jeddah Jawazat Office and 863 passports from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. About 2,667 passports have been handed over to Indian nationals till Sunday, it said. So far 875 applications have been received by the consulate for new passports in connection with change of sponsorship. Distribution of such passports started Tuesday. About 90 companies have so far approached the consulate for recruitment of Indians; 23 of them have their representatives functioning from the consulate premises for this purpose. About 2,000 Indian nationals have been interviewed to date. About 1,020 Indian nationals have been fingerprinted at the Jeddah Deportation Center during the last two Thursdays i.e. May 21 and 28, allotted for the consulate. The consulate has urged all Indian nationals willing to correct their status to avail the grace period till July 3 and submit their applications for EC, before June 15. Applications can be filed at all permanent BLS centers in Jazan, Najran, Tabuk, Yanbu, Madinah and Abha. International Indian schools in different cities will also be receiving EC applications, the press release concluded.
