How to get a Saudi Arabia visa is one of the commonly asked questions by those looking to visit Saudi Arabia anytime soon. We review the steps to take to apply for a Saudi Arabian tourist visa, so read it until the end to get all the info you need to make your application successful.
Traveling To Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the most visited countries in the world, and most visitors travel to the country but obtain a visa before they can be allowed into its borders. The only nationals who are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without a visa are citizens of neighboring
Kuwait
Bahrain
Oman
United Arab Emirates
Citizens from these four countries can enter Saudi Arabia can enter with their ID cards.
If you are not from any of these four countries, you definitely need a Saudi Arabia evisa to enter the country.
Saudi Arabia Visa Policy
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a monarchy whose government operates a very strict visa policy, which has been the standard for decades. Previously, visitors had to apply and obtain a visa before they could travel to the country, but the process was often protracted and overwhelmed embassy officials in host countries until the launch of the electronic visa initiative.
The electronic visa or e visa initiative was unveiled to help foreigners quickly facilitate their visits to the country at short notice through an online portal. The move was also launched to boost tourism and to veer the economy away from oil into other diversified income generation sources.
The Saudi Arabia e visa
Saudi Arabia e visa is available to citizens of more than 40 countries. If you are from any of the eligible countries, you don’t need to visit the embassy in your home country to apply for a visa unless you wish to stay for more than 90 days when you visit.
You can apply for an e visa from the comfort of using your laptop or smartphone. The Saudi e visa is valid for 1 year and allows the holder to stay for up to 90 days. It is also a multiple entry travel document, so you can visit as often as you want until the visa expires.
To qualify for an e visa, you must be 18 years and above unless the minor is traveling in the company of an adult relative. You must also have a valid email address and a passport that will not expire for at least another 6 months. Furthermore, you must only enter Saudi Arabia with the same passport used in completing the application form. Using a different passport will lead to entry denial when you arrive at any of the airports.
Applying To The Embassy In Your Home Country
If you are not from an e visa eligible country or wish to stay in Saudi Arabia for more than 90 days, you need to visit the embassy in your home country to apply in person.
Saudi Visa Types
These are the different visas issued to visitors.
Tourism
Those looking to spend their holidays in Saudi Arabia can apply for an e visa for short stays or a normal visa for extended stays. They can visit the different holy sites and Red Sea resorts in the country
Business
A business visa is for business related activities. The embassy will demand to see the invitation letter sent to the application stating the purpose of the trip. Also, the latter must bear the details of the employer or organization inviting the applicant.
Family Visits
There is a visa for those visiting family members living in the country. This visa has different validity periods.
Transit
Transit visas are for extremely short stays ranging from 1-3 days maximum. Travelers who wish to make brief stops at any of Saudi Arabia’s airports can apply for a transit visa.
Hajj/Umrah
Saudi Arabia is home to the holiest Muslim sites in the world, and these sites attract millions of pilgrims who visit yearly. To facilitate their visits, the Saudi government introduced a special visa for visitors during the holy month of Ramadan and other religious months.
Work
There is a special work visa for foreign expatriates who wish to live and work in the country. Work visa qualify for residence and work permits which will be presented to them once they arrive in the country.
Study
Foreigners who gain admission into any of the tertiary institutions qualify for a student visa. This visa also attracts a work permit and a residency permit.
The documents that will be demanded of you will depend on the type of visa you apply for. However, if you are only staying for a short time and you are from an e-visa approved country, visit VisaHQ to complete the application form.