Bahrain's Labor Market Regulatory Authority has significantly improved the processing time for work visas, with nearly 50% processed within 24 hours. The introduction of an e-visa system has streamlined the application process for both work and visit visas, connecting major institutions to facilitate online access. This system has made entry into Bahrain easier for visitors from over 35 countries, allowing for more efficient processing and payment online.

1. Bahrain issues work permits in 24 hours.
Byline: Manama
Nearly half of the work visas issued by the Labour Market
Regulatory Authority are now processed within 24 hours, a
top official
has revealed.
Out of 13,200 issued last month, more than 6,300 were
processed
within a day, said Interior Ministry Nationality, Passports
and
Residence assistant under-secretary Shaikh Ahmed bin Isa
Al Khalifa.
An average 1,500 e-visas are also issued every month for visitors
from different parts of the world, he told our sister newspaper Gulf
Daily News.
'The e-visa technology enables General Directorate of
Nationality Passports and Residency to process all types of visas faster
than ever before,' said Shaikh Ahmed.
'This specially helps the LMRA, which is responsible for
issuing work visas for expatriates.
'Once the documents are cleared by LMRA and Central

2. Informatics Organisation, it is sent to GDNPR to issue the visas.
'Though it is estimated to take an average five days for
processing at GDNPR, we are now able to clear almost half of them within
24 hours.'
The number of work visas issued by LMRA since July has been
increasing steadily.
The number, which was only 786 in July, increased to 12,773 in
September and 14,510 in December.
'We have launched a campaign to encourage more visitors to
make use of the e-visa facilities,' said Shaikh Ahmed.
'All five-star hotels, major airlines and leading travel
agents are now linked to the GDNPR e-visa portal at www.evisa.gov.bh .
'Government agencies, the financial sector, universities and
exhibition companies have also been linked to the system.'
The e-visa system has helped reduce the workload at GDNPR and
minimise inconvenience to major customers, said Shaikh Ahmed.
Up to five user names with password are given to major

3. institutions, said Shaikh Ahmed.
'Their administrator and related staff are being trained at
GDNPR on how to access our system and make the best use of the
facility,' he said.
'They can apply for visit visas online. Customers can also
make the payment online.
'The system has proved a great boon to thousands of visitors
to Bahrain.'
Nationals of more than 35 countries are now granted
visa on arrival
at Bahrain International Airport.
'We advise them to apply visa online and make the
payment with
credit cards,' said Shaikh Ahmed. 'The e-visa facility makes
their entry to Bahrain easier as they do not have to wait in the queue
at the immigration counters or worry about changing currency.'-
TradeArabia News Service
[c] Copyright 2008 www.tradearabia.com

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