Saudi Arabia exempts Indian visa applicants from submitting police clearance certificate

New Delhi, Nov 17: Saudi Arabia exempted Indians from submitting a police clearance certificate for obtaining a visa for travelling to the country, the embassy of that country announced on Thursday. The decision has been taken as part of efforts of the two countries to further strengthen relations.

"In view of the strong relations and strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India, the Kingdom has decided to exempt the Indian nationals from submitting a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)," the statement said.

"The PCC will no longer be a requirement for Indian citizens to obtain a visa for travelling to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Embassy said it appreciates the contribution of over two million Indian citizens living peacefully in the Kingdom," he added.

What is a PCC? Why is it required?

Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is issued to Indians willing to go abroad for employment, residential status, or long-term visa should apply for if required by the visa of the destination country. The document helps to detail the criminal record of the citizen.

A person applying for PCC will have to mandatorily mention the period of stay in the country - in this case, Saudi Arabia.

How will the new rule change visa procedures?

Till now, Indians needed to submit a police clearance to obtain their Saudi visa. With this new rule, the visa application process of Saudi Arabia will become faster and easier.