New rules put in place by Saudi government authorities have granted the right of all Saudi students studying oversees to travel without requiring a permit from their parents or guardians, even if they are under the age of 21, according to reports.
Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports announced Monday that students “will only require proof of their scholarship from the Ministry of Education” to apply for a passport to travel, according to a report in Arab News.
The new freedoms were brought about as part of sweeping changes to passports and travel rules for Saudi citizens announced on July 30th. Those changes gave to all citizens the right to obtain a passport without a guardian’s approval. Now guardian approvals are only needed for children.
The July 30 royal decree was applauded by Saudi citizens and worldwide. The leap forward for the Kingdom’s citizens to travel is the latest progressive reform undertaken by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 social and economic reform plan. Last year, women were granted the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, a change that has brought new opportunities and freedoms to the lives of Saudi Arabia’s women.
Thousands of young Saudis travel abroad every year to attend colleges and universities around the world.
