Sources: New restrictions on women traveling to Saudi Arabia arise from concern about ‘immoral activities’

The General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality issued a directive barring Egyptian women without higher education from traveling to Saudi Arabia without first obtaining a special permit, informed sources told Mada Masr. The directive was enforced for the first time at the beginning of this week, the sources said.

Two sources who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity, one from the Saudi Arabia branch of the General Union of Egyptians Abroad and the other an airline agent, said that the decision targets women “of a young age” as it was observed that they are exposed to sexual exploitation or involvement in “immoral” activities —  a reference to sex work. The permit requirement is intended as a measure to limit their travel.

A source from an overseas employment agency told Mada Masr that in recent days, several women have been stopped at the airport on the grounds that they lack the required permit. According to sources, the new measure took effect at the beginning of the week.

The sources said that whether a permit is granted may depend on the discretion of the government official involved. “It’s up to them to decide if you can go or not,” one source added,“if she’s young and attractive, she might not be given the permit.”

The permits are issued exclusively by the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality headquarters in Abbasiya, Cairo, under the Interior Ministry, with a fee of LE210.

The directive applies to women with qualifications below a higher education level, such as diploma holders, homemakers and those with work or other visit visas . It does not apply to women with higher education qualifications or those holding family or government visit visas, or to government employees or those receiving government pensions.