Manama : As part of the Diplomatic Forum organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of Bahrain Diplomatic Day, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, Major Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Director of the Passports, and Abdullah Nabeel Al Mutawa, Director of Visa and Residence, delivered a presentation titled “Passport Services for Bahraini Citizens Abroad.”
The presentation was attended by heads of Bahrain’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Major Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed emphasised the importance of the partnership between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in providing innovative and accessible services that help meet the needs of Bahraini citizens residing abroad. He pointed out that these services are provided through various channels, including Bahrain’s embassies and consulates abroad, the Consular Services Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the government e-portal, reflecting the integrated coordination between the relevant authorities.
Major Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed discussed the main services provided, including passport replacement, issuing transit tickets for lost or damaged passports, services for citizens born abroad, and issuing transit tickets for lost or damaged identity cards. He also highlighted the activation of a passport delivery service for citizens through DHL, ensuring that documents reach recipients easily and quickly.
He highlighted that the recent developments in these services, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contribute to enhancing the flexibility and speed of procedures.
He noted that among these developments is linking the transit ticket system to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing for the electronic issuance and direct printing of tickets, as well as reducing the processing time for issuing immediate transit tickets for lost or damaged passports to less than 60 days. He also pointed to efforts to improve the passport replacement service in coordination with embassies, where requests can be submitted through the government e-portal or directly at the embassies, with an electronic payment mechanism facilitating the process and allowing for the tracking of requests online.
On his part, Al Mutawa presented the electronic visa services offered by Bahrain’s embassies, explaining that this service grants the embassies the authority to issue their visas electronically, thus improving the efficiency of the process and making it easier for applicants to submit their requests.
He further provided a detailed explanation of the steps enabling embassies to offer this service, highlighting the importance of this initiative in facilitating the movement of individuals and enhancing international relations.
This presentation is part of the ongoing efforts by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to enhance the quality of services provided to citizens abroad and simplify procedures, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to meeting the needs of its people everywhere. This is in line with an ambitious national vision aimed at improving efficiency and excellence in performance.
