Oman now charges OMR 600 for citizenship applications and OMR 200 for nationality withdrawal/Image: X Applying for Omani citizenship will now come with a clearly defined price tag. In a move aimed at tightening and standardising nationality services, Oman has approved a new fee structure covering both citizenship applications and requests to relinquish nationality, according […]
The new travel ban that the Donald Trump administration announced in December as part of its ongoing crackdown on immigration comes into effect on January 1, 2026. Apart from the travel ban, new immigration-related fees, as announced earlier, also come into effect from today. Travel ban from January 1, 2026 The administration expanded the travel […]
SAMA’s new fees guide reduces banking, Mada card, financing, check, transfer, and document fees nationwide/Image: X Saudi Arabia has taken a major step to make banking more affordable and transparent. The Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, has unveiled a comprehensive new fees guide for financial institutions. The updated framework slashes customer fees, caps charges […]
Kuwait mandates health insurance from December 23 for all foreign residents and visitors, with specified fees/Representative Image Starting December 23, all foreigners entering or living in Kuwait will need to pay health insurance fees, as new regulations from the Ministry of Health take effect. Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued executive rules under Law No. 1 […]
Jeddah University opens 2026 Postgraduate Admissions online now / Image: File Jeddah University has officially opened admissions for its postgraduate programs (Master’s and Ph.D.) for the academic year 2026. The announcement was made by the Deanship of Graduate Studies and International Cooperation, and applications are being accepted online through the university’s official admission portal. This […]
MacKenzie Scott, one of the world’s most influential philanthropists, has come full circle after once relying on a friend’s financial help to stay in college. As a Princeton undergraduate, Scott faced dropping out when she could not afford $1,000 in fees, until her roommate Jeannie Tarkenton secured the money for her. Decades later, Scott, now […]
A row erupted after the US Department of the Interior announced sweeping changes to national park access, including higher fees for nonresidents and expanded digital passes. Starting January 1, 2026, US residents will pay $80 for an Annual Pass, while nonresidents will be charged $250. Nonresidents without a pass will also face a $100 per […]
Foreign-trained physicians, who make up nearly one quarter of the United States’ medical workforce, could be forced to leave underserved communities due to skyrocketing H-1B visa fees, a historian of science has warned.Before, the hospitals had to pay approximately $5,000 to sponsor a physician’s visa to work in the United States. Now, they’d have to […]
Sharjah offers final chance to legalise unauthorised tenancy contracts / AI-generated illustration Rented a home in Sharjah through an informal agreement or a simple paper contract? Sharjah is now offering a clean slate. Under the new Sharjah Tenant Rules 2025, residents and landlords with unauthorised rental contracts can now regularise their leases, avoid penalties, and […]
ICP introduces zero-interest instalment plans for service fees over Dh500 through 10 UAE banks and Visa/Representative Image As part of a wider effort to ease financial commitments and improve access to public services, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has launched a new initiative allowing residents to pay service […]
