Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced that Indians would no longer have to obtain police clearance certificates (PCC) to travel to the Gulf country which has extremely strict rules for visitors and job-seekers.

The announcement was made by the embassy of Saudi Arabia through a tweet that said: “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.”

Stating that the decision had been taken as part of efforts to further strengthen bilateral relations, the embassy said: “The PCC will no longer be a requirement for Indian citizens to obtain a visa for travelling to Saudi Arabia.”

Indians are the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia with a majority of them moving to the Gulf country in search of employment. According to the embassy in Riyadh, the Indian community was over-three-millionstrong in 2017.

The Saudi embassy said it appreciated the contributions of the over two million Indians living there. This drop in numbers is primarily because many Indians had to return during the pandemic.

The PCC was made mandatory for a work visa in 2010 with the consent of both countries to ensure that no one with a criminal record travelled to Saudi Arabia, which also issues a similar certificate of its own to those returning after a stint in the country.

The Saudi PCC certifies that the holder has not been involved in any criminal activity during his/ her stay in that country.