New Delhi

The Saudi embassy in India announced on Thursday that Indians will no longer require a police clearance certificate while travelling to Saudi Arabia. Earlier, the PCC was a necessity while applying for a visa but the embassy tweeted that the government will remove the requirement "in view of the strong relations and strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of India." 

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"In view of the strong relations and strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of India, the Kingdom has decided to exempt the Indian nationals from submitting a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)," the Saudi embassy in India posted on the social media platform. 

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"...The embassy appreciates the contribution of over two million Indian citizens living peacefully in the kingdom," the embassy added. 

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supposed to host Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for a round of meetings in November but the visit was cancelled due to scheduling issues with the COP27 summit and G20 conferences happening simultaneously.  

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The change in rules is expected to accelerate the visa process for Indians and will also make life easier for several applicants. With one less document to submit, the visa centers will also be able to take faster decisions enabling visitors to plan their trips to Saudi Arabia better. 

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