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Updated September 2024
Saudi Arabia is currently open for tourism, and international travel to or from the kingdom has been largely restored. For those wishing to visit Saudi Arabia, visas will once again be issued by the authorities to accommodate the various needs of various travellers.
Here is everything you need to know about Saudi visas (فيزا السعودية); what types of available visas, which countries are eligible, as well as the prevailing restrictions.
Table of Contents
Do I need a visa to visit Saudi Arabia?
In most cases, yes. Many travelers will need to apply for a visa before entering the country, although some nationalities may be eligible for an eVisa or visa on arrival. It’s best to check specific requirements based on your nationality before planning your trip.
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
Note that third-country nationals who are residents in any of the GCC countries are still required to get a visa to Saudi Arabia unless they have a Saudi passport.
Types of available Saudi visas (فيزا السعودية)
For travellers travelling from eligible countries, the following visas are available.
Business visa
Travellers looking to enter the Kingdom for business purposes may apply for a Saudi business visa on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) website. Among the required documents are:
- A valid passport (with blank pages)
- Passport photographs
- Completed application form
- A letter of invitation from the sponsor company in Saudi Arabia that is approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- A letter from your employer confirming your employment and upcoming trip
- Any other required documents depending on the applicant’s country of origin
You can refer to our dedicated Saudi business visa article below for more details.
Umrah visa
An Umrah visa is an official document designed to facilitate Muslims wishing to embark on Makkah and Madinah for the minor pilgrimage known as the Umrah. The visa allows the holder to enter Saudi Arabia for a limited period of time to perform the Umrah rituals, which include visiting the Kaaba, performing Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba), and Sa’i (walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa).
As per the latest development, the validity of the Umrah visa has been extended from one month to three months.
Umrah visa requirements
- A completed original Umrah visa application form. This form can be obtained by sending a large, self-addressed. envelope to your nearest Saudi consulate. However, it is advisable to enlist the help of a certified travel agent to ensure the process goes smoothly.
- One recent passport-size colour photograph with a white background. The entirety of the applicant’s face must be wholly visible visa and directly facing the camera. Side or angled views will not be accepted.
- A passport with a minimum validity of six months from the date of the application.
- A confirmed and non-refundable airline ticket. Departure from Saudi Arabia must be within two weeks from the date of entry
- A valid residency permit must be submitted if the applicant is not a national of the country he/she is applying from.
- A vaccination certificate against Meningococcal Meningitis should be attached. The certificate of vaccination must have been issued at least 10 days prior to entry while not exceeding three years. The vaccination certificate must be carried by the pilgrim into Saudi Arabia.
You can refer to our dedicated Umrah visa article below for more details
Other visas to perform Umrah
As per the latest announcement, pilgrims who seek to perform Umrah can now apply for other available Saudi visa types.
- Family visit visa
- Personal visit visa
- Transit visit visa
- Visa on arrival
Hajj visa
The Hajj visa is one of the most important documents that Hajj pilgrims need to be allowed to perform the Hajj. Hajj visas are valid for travel only in the vicinities of Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah and for travel between these cities.
These visas are not valid for work or residency. Unapproved travel outside these areas may result in immigration violations and penalties.
The official requirements for Hajj 2025 have not yet been released. Please stay tuned, and we will provide updates as soon as they become available.
You can refer to our dedicated Hajj visa article below for more details
Tourist visa/eVisa
Saudi Arabia tourist visa allows entry to the country for non-essential purposes.
Requirements
- The passport must be valid for no less than six months from the date of entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (except for citizens of the United States of America, they may enter as long as the passport is valid, regardless of the validity)
- The age should not be less than 18 years old. For those under 18 years old, the applicant is allowed to enter but requires the presence of a guardian. (First degree: father, mother, brother, sister, grandfather and grandmother)
- Passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia must download and register on the Tawakkalna app on arrival.
Visa on arrival
Visa on arrival will be available for applicants are travelling from one of the eligible countries (detailed below).
Eligible countries
North America
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Canada
- Grenada
- Panama
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- United States
Europe
- Albania
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Netherlands
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Asia
- Azerbaijan
- Brunei
- China (including Hong Kong and Macau)
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uzbekistan
Africa
- Mauritius
- Seychelles
- South Africa
Oceania
- Australia
- New Zealand
Travellers outside the eligible countries list may apply for a consulate visa through Saudi embassies and consulates. You can locate the nearest Saudi consulate here.
Family visit visa
Those wishing to visit families and relatives residing in Saudi Arabia, they may take advantage of a special Family Visit Visa afforded by the Kingdom.
Requirements
Requirements are as follows:
- Copy of the sponsor Iqama holder’s passport.
- Valid International Passport (Minimum 6 months validity remaining) for the applicant.
- Copy of the Iqama or residency permit for the sponsor
- Four passport-size photos.
- Apostilled copy of the National ID card of the applicant.
- Marriage certificate, which you might need to apostille.
Residence visa or work permits
Work permits for foreigners are applied for by the employer with the proper government bodies – Interior and Labor & Social Affairs Ministries. Anyone who wishes to stay in the Kingdom for more than three months must have a residence permit (Iqama). This is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is valid for two years.
Foreign employees’ dependents are also generally given residence visas, which, however, do not allow employees to seek employment. However, exit visas to leave the Kingdom are required for holders of residence visas.
Requirements
- Original passport valid for no less than six (6) months, with at least two (2) successive empty visa pages
- A visa referral note indicating the number and date of the visa issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs or either of its branches in Jeddah or Dammam.
- Proof of kinship when accompanied by a family member: for spouses, a copy of the marriage certificate; for children, a copy of the birth certificate.
- The age of the accompanying child may not exceed eighteen (18) years; accompanying daughters must be single.
- A medical report in three copies, along with all lab results, and three (3) passport-size coloured photographs on white background. A medical report must be issued by a licensed physician certifying the applicant is free of contagious diseases. Physicians must sign each copy of the medical report indicating their license number and address. Medical reports must be no more than three (3) months past the date of issuance.
- Children under the age of sixteen (16) do not need a medical report.
- Minors (under 18 years) travelling alone or with one parent must submit a notarized letter in Arabic or English signed by a parent or a legal guardian.
Transit visa
The transit visa allows individuals to pass through the Kingdom and is applicable for short stays of over 12 hours, providing transit visas. It is available to applicants of any nationality, and it can be obtained by using the MOFA e-service visa platform.
Requirements
- A valid original passport of a minimum of six months.
- A residence permit from the country you are applying from.
- A passport-sized coloured photograph.
- A Saudi Visa (فيزا السعودية) questionnaire filled out and signed.
- The declaration of Saudi laws signed.
- Proof of ticket booking confirming your stay-over in Saudi Arabia.
- Printed visa application submitted through the e-portal.
Free Saudi transit visa
The free Saudi transit visa is an electronic visa, introduced as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, that allows international passengers to make a 96-hour stop in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During this 4-day window, they can travel anywhere in the Kingdom for tourism purposes. Moreover, they are also permitted to visit Makkah and Madinah and perform the holy rituals of Hajj and Umrah.
For more information, check out our dedicated article on the free Saudi transit visa below.
Saudi Arabia visa scheme for GCC residents
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a new visa scheme for GCC residents with the primary objective of boosting tourism. According to the latest visa rules, GCC residents now have the option to apply for an eVisa through the Visit Saudi online portal, which enables them to visit Saudi for both Umrah and tourism purposes. Regardless of their occupation, citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations can now obtain a Saudi tourist visa.
Hence, visitors flying to Saudi Arabia are no longer required to go through the hassle of visiting an embassy in person to apply for a visa, making the visa application process simple and more straightforward.
Requirements
To be eligible to apply for the Saudi eVisa, GCC residents must meet the following conditions:
- The residency document must be valid for three (3) months.
- The passport must be valid for at least six (6) months
- A parent application is mandatory for children under the age of 18.
Application process
To apply for the Saudi eVisa, GCC residents need to follow the steps given below:
- Visit the MOFA website and log in to your account.
- Fill out the required information.
- Upload the required eVisa documents
Once approved, you will receive your Saudi eVisa via email.
How to apply for a Saudi Arabia visa?
Online
Once you have prepared all the documents and prerequisites needed to prove your eligibility, you can apply for the Saudi eVisa by these 3 simple steps:
- Visit the official Saudi Arabia visa website and register yourself
- Fill the application
- Pay the Visa fee
- Get your online Visa
Offline
If you are unable to apply for the visa online, you can directly visit the Saudi Embassy in your country and proceed with the application process. Please note that different embassies have different procedures, so make sure to be familiar with them prior to your visit to the embassy.
You can find the list of Saudi Embassies around the globe here.
Saudi visa fees
The Saudi visa (فيزا السعودية) fees for different types of visas are:
- Tourist eVisa – SAR 300 (USD 80)
- Tourist visa on arrival – SAR 480 SAR (USD 128)
- Business visa (single entry) – SAR 200 (USD 54)
- Business visa (multiple entry) – SAR 500 (USD 134)
- Work, Resident, Transit and Student visa – SAR 50 (USD 14)
- Umrah visa – SAR 300 (USD 80)
- Hajj visa – Free
Saudi visa status check online
There are several methods available to verify your Saudi visa status. To learn about all these methods, please consult our article below.
Restrictions
There are strict restrictions in place pertaining to certain items being transported into the Saudi Arabian borders. The items are as follows:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Pork and pork products
- Prohibited drugs and narcotics
- Firearms, explosives, edged weapons
- Pornographic materials
- Furthermore, possessing psychoactive substances when entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is illegal unless authorized by a Government agency.
Please refer here prior to your trip to Saudi Arabia.
