JEDDAH – Do not be surprised when you arrive at the airports in the Kingdom and find that Passports Department (Jawazat) officers at the counter are not in the ubiquitous green uniform. As per the new dress code effective Sunday Jawazat officers will wear the traditional thobe instead of military uniform. The Jawazat said the national dress would consist of the traditional thobe, ghutra (headscarf) and iqal (black head ribbon). It said staff will also have to wear black shoes and black socks and put on their badges. The decision will be implemented at first at the international airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam before it is gradually introduced in all the Kingdom's air, sea and land inlets. The objective behind the change in dress code is the motivation to promote the Saudi identity, spokesperson for Passports Department Lt. Col. Ahmed Al-Luhaidan was quoted as saying in a section of the Arabic press. “It is of utmost importance that the first contact of foreigners arriving into the Kingdom or the last contact with Saudi officials be with people who represent the genuine Saudi national identity,” said Al-Luhaidan. Meanwhile, King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh has prepared special counters to process the passports of women travelers. The counters will be manned by women passports officials. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has appointed 40 Saudi women, who have been rigorously trained, to work at the special counters for female travelers.
