How to Get a Saudi Arabia Visitor Visa: A Complete Guide
Do you have plans to visit Saudi Arabia this year or the next? Then, there is something that you will need to do right after buying a ticket. Get a visitor visa for Saudi Arabia. This is a permit that lets you enter the country to explore the natural beauty of the country.
Applying for a Saudi Arabia visitor visa is a fairly straightforward process. But what it needs is a lot of attention to detail in terms of information and documentation. As a country with strict security measures and border control, Saudi Arabia thoroughly vets its visitors, and the visa application process is a part of this.
Let's get right to it.
What is a Saudi Arabia Visitor Visa?
A Saudi Arabian visitor visa is a permit that allows eligible foreign nationals to enter inside the borders of Saudi Arabia. It also gives you access to explore the different cities and states in the country for a total period of 3 months for single-entry visas and 6 months or a year for multiple-entry visas.
The stay period is 30 days for the single-entry option. On the other hand, for multiple-entry visas, one cannot stay in Saudi Arabia for more than 90 days at a time.
Who can Enter Saudi Arabia with a Visitor Visa?
Saudi Arabia does offer its visa to most of the countries. This is why there was a record number of more than 27 million tourists visiting Saudi Arabia in 2023. This automatically means that, with little inspection and verification, people can easily enter the country.
For instance, individuals from countries like the United States, Bahamas, Canada, and others can apply for the Saudi visit visa.
Citizens from the GCC member nations don't need to apply for the visa or the eTA (electronic travel authorization).
On the other hand, citizens of countries like Qatar, Israel, and those on the red list are not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia. This is why it becomes important to research properly before you get a visa.
Types of Saudi Visitor Visas
The Saudi Arabian Government has a wide list of visas. All these are designed for different travel purposes and have their own specifications. This is why individuals are always advised to properly check the different categories and pick one that fits the best. Some of the visa types offered by Saudi Arabia are:
Tourist Visa
This is one of the most opted-for visas for the country. The Tourist visa comes with the facility of multiple entries and a continuous stay period of up to 90 days. The total validity of this is 1 year, so it gives ample time to utilize the visa completely.
You will just have to get an eVisa by providing the necessary documents or visiting the embassy (if needed). Completing the simple visa process will be enough to get the permit. However, remember that working is not permissible through this visa.
Business Visa
This type of visa is meant for any person visiting the country to establish a business or attend a seminar or meeting. This one also comes with both single (90-day validity, one month stay) and multiple-entry (6-12 month validity, 3 month stay) facilities.
For the Business visa, you will be required to provide something more than the usual documents like your passport and passport-style photographs. You are required to share supporting documents like a letter of invitation and a letter to prove your purpose. Else, there is a high risk of your visa application getting declined.
Family visit Visa
This type of visa is offered to any person who is visiting Saudi Arabia to visit their first-line relatives. This includes meeting your parent, child, sibling, spouse, or even the in-laws.
The family visit visa is single entry and valid for 90 days. It allows a stay of maximum 30 days (extendable). It also has a multiple-entry option with a 6-12 month validity, allowing a stay for 90 days (non-extendable) each time.
However, you are required to submit a few other documents along with your identity proof and basic documents. It is important to provide a valid invitation letter from your relative, who should be a resident, along with a valid Iqama which is a residence permit.
Visa for Pilgrimage
Saudi Arabia does offer two types of visas for pilgrimage reasons. Being a prominent Islamic country, this place experiences heavy footfall from Muslims from all around the year. This is why it offers the Hajj Visa and Umrah Visa, designed for people who come to the country to visit Mecca.
The Hajj Visa is offered during the holy Islamic month and stays valid for around 30 days. On the other hand, the Umrah Visa can be applied for any time of the year, other than the months of Hajj. This one has an extended validity of 90 days.
Saudi Arabia Visitor Visa Application Process
There are two simple application processes for visitors. One lets you apply online and the other requires you to visit the embassy in your country.
Applying for a Visa Online
The eVisa application process steps are:
- First and foremost, you ought to visit the portal to apply for the Saudi Arabia visitor visa.
- The next step entails providing the necessary documents. This includes a few scanned copies of your current photograph, a passport with 6-month validity remaining (from the date when you apply for a Saudi Arabia visitor visa), and others.
- Once you are done with the documents, fill in the form, and pay extra attention to the mandatory fields specified on the list.
- The last step includes paying the fee online. This amount is not the same for everyone, so it differs based on nationality or purpose. Get the acceptance letter within 2-4 days and get it printed to attach to the passport.
Applying for a visa through the Saudi Embassy
Needless to say, the procedure has to be done in person by paying a visit to the Consulate.
- Know which counter deals with the visa application process and go there.
- Fill in the application form they will provide.
- Take your filled-out form and hard copies of your documents and passport-size photographs for submission.
- Pay the fee required for the process through cash or Debit/Credit card.
- You must get the acceptance letter from them within a week. Show it to the airport while traveling.
Ready to get your Visitor Visa for Saudi Arabia?
Applying for a Saudi Arabia visitor visa is simple. This makes it easy for you to visit a relative, attend a business meeting, or even experience a Pilgrimage journey. All that you will have to make sure is to provide all your necessary documents during the process. Plus, you should also be careful to choose the right type of visa based on your purpose. You can always rely on our HelpDesk to solve any queries related to the process.
Check your eligibility for Saudi e-Visa and apply for Online Saudi Visa 72 hours in advance of your flight. Dutch citizens, Slovak citizens, British Citizens, Singaporean Citizens and Romanian citizens can apply online for Online Saudi Visa.