H.E. Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior was briefed on the necessary procedures and duration to accomplish the travelers’ documents required for pilgrimage this year. The pilgrims, who are both UAE citizens and Omanis, will head to Saudi Arabia via the Ghuwaifat Passport Department, which borders the country.
H.E. Lieutenant General Al Shafar accompanied by Major General Nasser bin Al Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization Residency and Ports, visited the Ghuwaifat Passport Department on Sunday morning. This visit is in line with the Ministry of Interior’s commitment to serve the travelers, especially the pilgrims. Two officials were briefed regarding the workflow and possible hindrances to the process.
H.E. Lieutenant General Al Shafar inspected the tents and health clinics provided for the pilgrims. The two officials were informed regarding the work progress, facilities, necessary medical examinations, and available medicines for the pilgrims. An equipped ambulance is also accessible when required.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior then headed to the departures and arrivals halls at the department and to the cabins designated for GCC citizens' vehicles passage, where he listened to a brief explanation on the procedures adopted to complete the passengers’ papers. The explanation also includes modern devices used, facilities offered for passengers, and equipment provided by the Police Headquarters, the Customs Department, and the Health Authority.
During the visit, H.E. Lieutenant General Al Shafar met Said Muheiri, Director General of the Customs Department; Salem Issa Al Hamadi, Director of Al Ghuwaifat Customs Directorate; and Matar Shalwih Al Muheiri Al Mansouri, Director of Customs Operations at Ghuwaifat Port. He was briefed on the control room and the devices used to examine entering tourist vehicles and the related customs procedures.
After his visit, H.E. Lieutenant General Al Shafar stated that Ghuwaifat Passport Department is one of the most important border ports in the State due to the seamless processing of documents. These outstanding services provided by the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Naturalization Residency and Ports Department, the Police, and the Customs Authority as well as other institutions, facilitate the pilgrims’ hassle-free entry and exit.
He stated that the Higher Leadership directives stress on providing comfort and the best facilities for travelers; pointing out Lt. General His Highness Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior’s commitment to provide all the devices and technology needed to hasten the completion of passengers’ papers and facilitate travelers’ traffic at the port.
He also praised the great efforts and services of port employees; he urged them to amplify their hard work to provide port passengers all the required facilities and services.
The tour was attended by Colonel Salem Ali Al Katam, Director General of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi; Colonel Khamis Mosbeh Al Marar, Director of Ports and Airports Security Police Directorate in Abu Dhabi Police; and Colonel Abdul Rahman Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh, Director of the Ports Passports.
Lieutenant Colonel Ghanem Hariz Al Mazrouhi, Head of Ghuwaifat Passport Department; Major Hammoud Al Afari, Head of Al Ghuwaifat Port Police Department; and a number of officers in the port received the participants in the tour.