Saudi Shura Council to ban ex-convict entry visa

The Saudi Shura Council will next week discuss a number of recommendations aimed at ensuring that ex-convicts and foreigners with criminal records will not be granted entry visas to Saudi Arabia.  The recommendations will be presented by the council's foreign affairs committee, which had studied the annual report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the year 2009-2010.  The recommendations included the need to expedite computer links between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior and the diplomatic missions abroad so as to ensure that foreigners banned from entering the Kingdom will not be granted entry visas by the Saudi embassies or consulates, Saudi English language daily newspaper  "Arab News" reported Saturday.  The committee noted that a number of foreigners who were banned from entering Saudi Arabia were granted entry visas but were prevented from entry after arriving at the Kingdom's airports or seaports.  The committee said the embassies and consulates that gave them entry visas had no knowledge that these people were banned from entering the Kingdom.