List of Eligible Countries for Saudi Arabia Visa

Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country occupying a majority of the Arabian Peninsula with coastlines covering much of the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf while the country’s borders also meet Jordan on the northwestern side and Iraq and Kuwait on the northeastern side. Yemen is in the south, UAE on the southeast, and Bahrain and Qatar on the eastern side of this country.

Tourism is among the main pillars of the Saudi government’s Vision 2030 plan. The kingdom is aiming to attract 100 million tourists annually by the year 2030 and boost the tourism industry, which contributes 10% of its GDP.

What is an e-Visa?

The e-Visa stands for Electronic Visa Service. E-Visa is a form of Visa you can apply for online. It is easy to apply for visas through the online portal as it is just a click away. A passport, ID card, and additional documents are necessary to apply for an e-Visa. The e-Visa saves you the struggle, time, and bureaucratic procedures. It is done by just scanning a few required documents, uploading them, filling up the required information needed, paying the required fees then awaiting the arrival of your visa. It is issued online which makes it easy for the applicant to receive the visa.

E-Visa Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia offers e-visa related to tourism. The e-Visa for tourists is valid for one year. It can be used for multiple entries the entire year or a single entry depending on the country you are applying from. The e-Visa stay validity per visit is up to 90 days and it is not applicable for studying or working in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Arabia Visa is suitable for more than 50 countries. An applicant may check the whole list of the fit nation for e-Visa to know whether he can smear for the E-Visa.

Saudi Arabia Visa Application Conditions:

1. E-visa is a single-entry visa and is permitted for 90 calendar days from the date of its issuance.
   
2. The applicant must belong to an eligible country.
   
3. The permitted duration of stay cannot be extended.
   
4. Any invitations, hotel booking receipts or any other documents that confirm the motive of your trip to Saudi Arabia may be required for an e-visa.
   
5. The time for issuing an e-visa is no longer than 4 calendar days from the date of acceptance of the completed Saudi Arabia visa application. It is suggested that you apply for your electronic visa Saudi Arabia at least four days before intending to receive the visa.
   
6. E-visas can be of the following categories only: Saudi Arabia business visa (purpose of the journey is just business), Saudi Arabia tourist visa (purpose of the journey is just tourism) If traveling with under-age children, you will need to submit a separate Saudi Arabia visa application for each child as all children traveling with their parents must have their separate electronic visas.
   
7. Make sure that your passport valid for up to 6 months from the date your application is submitted and the process is initiated.
   
8. Make sure that your passport has blank space for border crossing stamps.
   
9. All foreign citizens arriving in the country with electronic visas must possess valid medical insurance coverage that should cover their stay in the Saudi Arabia Federation.
   
10. If you already have a visa to enter Saudi Arabia, you don’t need to separately apply for an eVisa to visit Saudi Arabia tourist place.
    
11. Foreign citizens will have the right to freedom of movement within the area of the region near the point of entry. However, to visit certain organizations, territories, and facilities, you will need special permission as per the laws of the Saudi Arabia Federation.
    
12. Foreign nationals should enter and leave Saudi Arabia only through the permitted air/naval/automobile/railroad checkpoints of their permitted eVisa region at the national border of the Russian Federation. For more information on border checkpoints please contact our immigration and visa processing experts.
    

Types of Tourism in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia attracts two types of tourists- those looking for recreation and those arriving for religious rituals and activities. So, the country is host to recreational and religious tourism. Additionally, the kingdom has opened its borders to the international world after launching the tourist e-visa. So, the travel and tourism sectors have undergone an unprecedented advancements and modification.

Given the kingdom’s rich cultural roots and heritage for being the birthplace of Islam and as one of the oldest trade hubs in the world, it is an attractive destination for tourists from all parts of the world. The country has evolved considerably and previously strict societal rules have been greatly relaxed. Saudi society has become much modernized and that’s why apart from pilgrimage tourism, it is one of the most sought destinations for recreational tourism.

E-Visa Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must be 18 years old at least to apply for an e-visa. Minors would require an adult to apply on their behalf as they cannot apply on their own. Those applying on behalf of a minor must have legal authority to do so otherwise the application will be rejected. Apart from that, you must possess a valid and authentic passport to apply for the visa. Make sure the passport is valid for at least six months after your arrival in Saudi Arabia with an e-visa otherwise it is better to get it renewed before applying.

Saudi Arabia E-Visa validity

• The Saudi Arabia tourist e-visa is valid for one year. The visa validity starts from the date it has been issued. The validity period is mentioned in the approved e-visa.
• The e-visa is issued as a single-entry and multiple-entry travel permit. If you haven’t selected a visa type, it will be issued as a multiple-entry visa
• The visa stay validity is different from the visa validity. Although the e-visa is issued for a year, traveler cannot stay for more than 90 days on each visit.
• You cannot extend an e-visa. In case it gets expired before you enter the kingdom, you will need to re-apply for it and pay the visa fees again.

Nationalities allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without visa:

Not all foreigners require a visa for Saudi Arabia. Visitors from some countries can enter without a visa for a limited time.

Some nationalities allowed to enter Kingdom of Saudi Arabia without a visa are:

Nationalities that do not meet Saudi Arabia eVisa requirements

Passport holders from these countries cannot apply for Saudi Arabia visas online. Since they do not meet the Saudi Arabia eVisa eligibility requirements, they must apply for a traditional visa through a diplomatic mission:

Rules for Foreign Travelers Visiting Saudi Arabia

Tourists in Saudi Arabia must familiarize them with local public decency norms. For instance, as per the country’s law, males and females must modestly dress. Their knees and shoulders must be fully covered in public places. Furthermore, foreign visitors should avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes or clothing featuring indecent, profane images and language.

Best Time to Visit Saudi Arabia

Winter season is the best time to visit Saudi Arabia. October onwards the country’s weather gets breezy and somewhat colder than it usually is. This weather continues until March. But, Asi Mountain in the country’s South Western part are inaccessible during winters because of excessive fog.

Therefore, you should visit it before November and after February. In KSA, winter are generally pleasant since the max temperature remains 30 degrees centigrade. You can expect light rainfall too. On the other hand, summers are extremely hot and temperatures almost always cross 40 degrees centigrade and may reach 50 degrees. Since it is a hot desert, the country receives less rainfall during summers. KSA’s climate is among the world’s driest.

Hotel Booking Policy for Unmarried Couples Visiting Saudi Arabia

Previously, Saudi Arabian government didn’t allow unmarried foreign couples to rent hotel rooms together anywhere in the country. However, KSA has implemented a new visa policy, allowing female tourists to stay in hotel rooms along, and unmarried couples can also rent rooms. Before this policy, couples visiting KSA had to prove they were married without which they couldn’t rent room in a hotel.

Now that the government of KSA is looking to grow its tourism industry, they have relaxed their strict, and religiously conservative tourism policies. After this policy, Saudi nationals must show family ID or proof of relationship to book hotel room whereas foreign tourists can book a room with their ID only. Alcohol consumption is banned in the country and modest dressing is a mandatory requirement for all tourists.

Saudi Arabia E-Visa Holders Entry Requirements

1. Visitors must never enter KSA with the intention of hindering national security or commit a crime. They also shouldn’t arrive to break the country’s Sharia law, local laws, or violating the norms and values of the country.
2. Tourists should arrive holding the same passport they used when applying for the e-visa.
3. Saudi Arabia e-visa is valid for entering via all seaports and airports.
4. At the time of arriving in KSA, the traveler should carry a copy of the visa.
5. The immigration official will take your biometric details on arrival.
6. The Saudi Arabia e-visa is granted for tourist purposes and to perform an umrah. It is not allowed to use it to find employment in the country. Paid employment is strictly prohibited for e-visa holders.
7. The tourist’s passport should be valid for the next six months after arriving in KSA.
8. The traveler should be able to support their stay during the visit. If arriving with dependents, they must possess sufficient funds and resources to support their stay as well.
9. All tourists will be subject to local laws after arriving in KSA.

Important Points to Remember

1. You will receive the approved e-visa in the form of an email attachment, usually a PDF file.
2. After submitting the evisa application, it is not possible to cancel it or ask for a refund no matter what are the circumstances following your application submission.
3. Unapproved visas are not entitled for a refund.
4. Every applicant will receive an e-invoice of their transaction.
5. Always provide accurate and authentic information in your e-visa application. Applications containing misleading and false info will be rejected.
6. The ministry of tourism and appropriate regulators will decide about approving an e-visa application.
7. An approved e-visa doesn’t guarantee entry into KSA.