Last Updated on January 6, 2022
The Saudi government issues different types of visas to foreign citizens who wish to enter the country. Visas are classified into many types based on their purposes such as visit, tourist, work, and diplomatic, etc. If you are looking for the facts on how to obtain a tourist visa Saudi Arabia, this post will walk you through the whole process.
There are three ways you can get a tourist visa in Saudi Arabia;
- eVisa
- Visa on Arrival
- Consular visa
eVisa;
It is a new type of visa that may be obtained through an online application process. You can apply for a visa on the KSA immigration website and will be notified through email if your application is approved.
The eVisa in Saudi Arabia is valid for one year; you can enter the country within that time period, and the visa’s expiration date will be counted when you arrive.
You can stay in this country for up to 90 days. Since it is a multiple re-entry visa, there are no limits on entering and exiting the country for 90 days.
Visa on Arrival;
If you are traveling from a nation that is eligible for a visa on arrival, you do not need to arrange for a tourist visa in Saudi Arabia ahead of time. Simply book a ticket and arrive at any international airport in Saudi Arabia you can obtain a visa over there.
If you cross the border by land or sea, you can apply for a visa at the immigration checkpoint by just presenting your passport.
Consular visa;
This is the traditional method of obtaining a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia. If you are not a citizen of a country that is eligible for an eVisa or a visa on arrival, you should obtain a consular visa.
To apply for a visa, you must go to the Saudi Embassy or consular office in your country, or a close KSA embassy in neighboring countries.
You should submit the visa application with all of the required documents. If you are not capable of performing all sorts of work. Agents can process the visa application on your behalf; however, you should pay them as service charges.
Saudi Arabia tourist visa requirements
- Duly filled application form
- Passport valid for at least six months
- You should obtain health insurance for Saudi Arabia. While submitting the Enjaz form, you can search for local insurance companies that cover medical emergencies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Proof of accommodation (hotel, residence, booking, etc.)
- Visa fees (SAR 300) and insurance (SAR 140).
- Applicants must be 18+ unless accompanied by a legal guardian
- Roundtrip ticket and travel itinerary
- Proof of employment
- Financial solvency/bank statement
- Complete personal information
How to apply eVisa for Saudi Arabia?
The citizen of the following countries can apply for the Saudi eVisa on Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage website.
If you are a citizen of one of the above-mentioned countries, you can obtain an eVisa or visa on arrival. At your convenience, you choose either ways to obtain the Saudi Arabi tourist visa.
Nationals of all other countries may be required to pursue visas from Saudi Consular offices, which may take up to a week to process.
What should you keep in mind when applying for a visa?
- If the visa application is denied, the fees are non-refundable.
- You should correct the problems on your own, not through the embassy.
- If you are applying for a visa at the port of entry, you must bring a credit or debit card able to make international payments.
Another option for obtaining a tourist visa to Saudi Arabia is to contact an authorized travel agency. A travel agency in your own country or in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will handle all of the paperwork and process the visa on your behalf.
Some agencies may request payment before processing, while others may only charge you when the service is completed.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, there are some additional restrictions that tourism visa holders for Saudi Arabia must meet.
All travelers arriving in the country with a valid tourism visa must show proof of a full course of one of the four currently approved vaccines: two doses of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, or Moderna vaccines, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Visitors who have finished two doses of the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines and have obtained an additional dosage of one of the four vaccines allowed to enter the country.
Saudi Arabia has launched a website for tourists to register their vaccination status and The website is available in two languages: Arabic and English.
Travelers arriving in Saudi Arabia must additionally present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure, as well as an approved paper vaccination certificate validated by the issuing country’s official health authority.
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