RIYADH: The number of illegal expatriates taking advantage of the Kingdom’s amnesty campaign reached 345,089 in the last two months, said Maj. Gen. Daifallah bin Sattam Al-Huwaifi, deputy director general of the Passport Department, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported recently.
The Interior Ministry launched a 90-day amnesty campaign beginning March 29 that asked labor and residence violators to leave the Kingdom without penalties.
The Passport Department has prepared more than one center in every region and province to receive undocumented expats who want to voluntarily leave the country, Al-Huwaifi said.
The designated centers receive expats and finalize their departure procedures on a two-shift schedule, he said.
Al-Huwaifi asked illegal residents and workers to take advantage of the remaining days before the amnesty deadline, which ends June 29. Exemptions for undocumented residents and workers leaving voluntarily include imprisonment, fees, and fines, which are normally applied to violators of residence, employment and border security regulations.
The campaign also aims to help illegal residents leave the country on their own and remain exempt from the “deportee” fingerprint system.
Al-Huwaifi warned that security authorities will track down potential violators after the amnesty period expires and impose strict penalties including imprisonment, fines, deportation and a ban from the entry to Saudi Arabia.
He also warned citizens and residents not to transport, shelter, employ violators of residence, work and border security regulations, or provide them with any means of assistance that may help them stay in the Kingdom.
Over 345,000 illegal expats leave Kingdom under amnesty program
Over 345,000 illegal expats leave Kingdom under amnesty program
Children’s Theater Festival opens in Qassim region
- To develop future ‘cultural architects,’ says CEO Khaled Al-Baz
- ‘Nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and sense of belonging’
BURAIDAH: The Qassim Children’s Theater Festival opened on Tuesday bringing together professionals from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
The event is being held under the patronage of Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, governor of Qassim, at the Science Center in Unaizah governorate.
It has been Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Association and executed by the Unaizah Theater Association, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Running until Jan. 31, it features shows, panel discussions, as well as training workshops to develop children’s theater and strengthen professional skills in the field.
Khaled Al-Baz, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Association, told the SPA the festival forms part of a broader strategy to position children’s theater as a distinct cultural sector.
“Children today constitute genuine audiences — tomorrow’s cultural architects,” Al-Baz said.
Ahmed Al-Humaimidi, president of the Unaizah Theater Association, said it was an investment in young people, noting that it extends beyond performances to include cultural and educational programming.
He said the initiative aims to nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and a sense of belonging, while also identifying emerging talent and encouraging knowledge exchange among theater practitioners.
“Our association recognizes children’s theater as foundational to cultivating aware, creative character,” he said.
The festival serves as both an artistic showcase and a platform for professional dialogue, reflecting the Kingdom’s expanding cultural landscape and growing focus on children’s theater as an educational and cultural tool, the SPA noted.
This occurs alongside support for signature initiatives and performing arts promotion as quality-of-life enhancement.
