(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychellois citizens travelling to Saudi Arabia can now apply for visas through an online portal after the island nation was included in the eVisa programme of the southwestern Asian country.

The Saudi Tourism Ministry announced on Tuesday that it has expanded its electronic visa programme to six new countries, including Seychelles, where the nationals of these countries can apply for the visa through the online portal in a statement on Tuesday.

The Seychelles Foreign Affairs Department has welcomed the news "as it will facilitate travel and exchanges between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Seychelles. This marks another important step forward in bolstering the bilateral relations between Seychelles and Saudi Arabia."

The new countries, including Mauritius, Seychelles, Turkey, Thailand, Panama, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, bring the total number of countries benefiting from the eVisa programme to 63.

The system allows its holders to perform Umrah and visit all religious sites as well as other touristic sites.

According to the Saudi eVisa platform, the visa will be a one-year, multiple-entry visa, allowing tourists to spend up to 90 days in the country.

Meanwhile, no visa is required to enter Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean but before departure, all visitors must apply for a travel authorisation through the Seychelles Electronic Border System platform.

Seychelles' passport remains the most powerful on the African continent for a consecutive year, while going down one place in a global ranking published by Henley and Partners for the first quarter of 2023.

The Henley Passport Index ranks Seychelles as 29th out of 199 countries for the first quarter of 2023 for the ability of the country's passport holders to visit 153 countries visa-free.