NPRA extends working hours of Isa Town and Muharraq branches

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs announced extending the working hours of its branches in the Isa Town and Muharraq, starting this Sunday.

The branches will function from 8 am to 5 pm for processing visa and residency permits, the NPRA statement said.

During the evening hours, the passport directorate services at the Isa Town branch will remain limited to handing over Bahraini passports. To receive the residency stamp, the applicant should visit one of the branches after completing formalities online.

No prior appointment is necessary. NPRA also called on all government and private organisations to make the most of its electronic visa services by visiting www.evisa.gov.bh and registering as an authorised guarantor to benefit from the services provided through the e-government portal www. Bahrain. bh. eVisa.gov.bh portal launched in 2004 is the official site of the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs.

The portal allows private organisations and government entities to register as guarantors. “Registration will enable the institutions to apply for eVisas for their employee’s family members, business clients, and visitors alike- all with the convenience of checking the status of their applications,” according to the NPRA website. All those already registered in the eVisa system should update their data to continue benefiting from the services.

“This would provide guarantors with the ability to apply for visitor visa round the clock without adhering to working hours,” NPRA said. NPRA also said they had commissioned an integrated work team to supervise and process the application submitted by registered users with utmost speed and accuracy.

The facility also allows users to track their requests through the website or alerts sent by emails or messages. For queries, contact the call centre at 7399764. NPRA also warns that holding a visa does not guarantee entry to Bahrain. “You must meet all of the conditions upon arrival to be granted entry.

No part of the fee is refundable for a denial of entry.” Payment of the application fee does not guarantee the approval of a visa, the NPRA said.

The authority cautions not to get hoodwinked by websites and companies that claim to offer any form of assistance for eVisa as there are no authorised website or companies.