Saudi women to get online travel permits - Welcome to the 14th Century

By Andrew Thomas @ Tuesday, July 15, 2008 7:25 AM

Section - PCs/Internet

Saudi Arabia is contemplating the creation of an online approval system to make it easier for women to travel unaccompanied. At present, women travelling alone must be seen off by a guardian in person, but the system would mean they could give approval for travel from the comfort of their own homes.

Male guardians will have a PIN number allowing them to access an online form and print it out for the woman to use as authorisation to travel outside the country.

The Saudi Passport Department says there are still some technical issues to be addressed before the scheme can go live. X