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Expatriates holding all types of visit visas and currently residing in Bahrain will be exempted from overstay fines due to the exceptional circumstances arising from the Iranian aggression, it has been announced.
Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) Under-Secretary Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa yesterday explained that all visit visa holders whose permitted stay expired on or after February 28, 2026, will be exempted from fines for one additional month after the reopening of Bahrain’s airspace.
He added that the validity of visit visas that were active until February 28, 2026 will be extended for an additional three months for visitors who are currently outside Bahrain and had applied for their visas before this date, but were unable to enter the kingdom due to the current extraordinary circumstances.
The NPRA affirmed its commitment to facilitating travel for passengers and taking these exceptional conditions into account, urging the public to follow official channels for further updates. For enquiries, contact the Call Centre by WhatsApp on 17077077, the virtual assistant on NPRA’s electronic channels, or by email at info@npra.gov.bh.
The fine waiver decision was welcomed by several families stuck in limbo with nowhere to go.
“The Iran attacks began days prior to my parents’ scheduled return flight to Delhi,” said a concerned Indian expat.
“It is absolutely distressing to have your elderly parents with you in such a situation, and their visa expiration only made it more taxing,” he added.
“However, the decision to waive the overstay fines for visa holders certainly comes as a respite. I am really grateful to the leadership, who are thinking about the needs and convenience of the public in these adverse times.
“This decision will help make things easier for many families like mine to get their loved ones back home.”
Flight operations remain suspended as the US-Iran-Israel conflict enters 13th day today. Operations are expected to resume once the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of the airspace.
The GDN reported that three Indian expat groups were arranging special flights to different cities via Dammam to help several families and individuals who would like to leave the country.
This includes the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS), unregistered Nav Bharat group and Kannada Sangha Bahrain.
Another group, Annai Tamil Mandram, has also announced charter flight service to Chennai via Dammam. Those interested can contact via WhatsApp at 38856788.
Commercial flights in parts of the Middle East have been grounded due to the escalating conflict following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, stranding foreign nationals and prompting governments to plan repatriations.
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