Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to tourists.

With so much nature and preserved artifacts to display, Saudi Arabia is considered a natural beauty with its enormous deserted lands, beaches, and historical sites. Now that Saudi Arabia has grabbed the attention of tourists worldwide, many people wonder what list their country is on, and the types of Visas that are offered for them.

Saudi Arabia launched their Saudi Arabia e-Visa system in the last few years. After the launch, many countries were added and deemed eligible to apply for an e-Visa to Saudi Arabia.

There is a list of countries that are eligible to let their residents apply for an e-Visa to visit Saudi Arabia, among them, GCC Countries are also included in the list separately. Because of the GCC alliance, these countries are mentioned separately from other countries. Residents belonging to the GCC Countries can now travel to Saudi Arabia with ease with the new e-Visa system.

What is an e-Visa?

The e-Visa is a format of a Visa that can be applied, for and issued online. With the easiness and less time consumption of the issuance of an e-Visa, the country of Saudi Arabia now prefers that tourists should apply for an e-Visa instead of the regular Visa.

The regular Visa is issued by manually submitting a form with all documents attached, submitting the fee, and then waiting for it to get issued for an entire month or maybe more, on the other hand, you just need to go online on an e-Visa portal and complete the online form, provide a copy of passport, ID card, etc, process the fee and then wait for the e-Visa to arrive by email in just five business days.

You can also request an e-Visa on arrival at the Saudi Arabian airport.

Saudi Arabia e-Visa is now available for GCC Countries.

Saudi Arabia has an e-Visa available for residents of GCC Countries. The process for the e-Visa is simple, you just need to submit a form online and wait for your e-Visa to arrive by email. This type of Visa exists to help out fellow countries of the GCC on their visit to the country of Saudi Arabia.

Requirements for an e-Visa for Saudi Arabia.

These are a few things you need to have when you are submitting your form online for the e-Visa.

• Passport (the passport should not expire in the next six months after the e-Visa is issued.)
• ID card.
• Bank information.
• Place of accommodation. (Not mandatory)
• A passport-sized photo with w white background.
• Email address.
• You will need to provide your Guardians' information such as phone number, residence and ID, and approval if the applicant is underage, in need of medical assistance, or handicapped.

Fill out everything thoroughly on the form, once it is submitted you cannot correct it. Make sure you double-check check, in case you misspelled something or gave any wrong information. If you end up giving the wrong information for your e-Visa, the wrong information you have provided on the form can get your e-Visa request denied.

Information about the e-Visa for Saudi Arabia.

• The e-Visa allows you to stay up to 90 days in the country of Saudi Arabia. You can ask for another e-Visa issuance if you want to prolong your stay in Saudi Arabia.
• The e-Visa is only valid until its expiry date, after it's expired you will have to apply for it again whether you visited the country after it was issued or not.
• The e-Visa is available in two types, single entry e-Visa, and multiple entry e-Visa. These two types of e-Visas have different amounts of payment.

Single entry.

A single-entry e-Visa is a type of Visa that will let you enter the country one time after the issue of the e-Visa.

Multiple entries.

Multiple entry e-Visa is a type of e-Visa that will let you enter Saudi Arabia multiple amounts of times after the issuance of your e-Visa until the visa expires.

What are GCC Countries?

In the western part of Asia, there is an alliance of states that is made up of currently six countries, these countries are called GCC Countries. The GCC Countries term stands for Gulf Cooperation Council, it was founded on the 25th of May, 1981.

The Gulf Cooperation Councils' headquarters office is based in Riyadh, which is located in Saudi Arabia. The GCC is a political, intergovernmental, regional, and economic union of six countries that are situated in Asia on the Persian Gulf. All six of the GCC Countries make up 1.7% of the global economy and have a 0.7% of the world population.

These countries are called Gulf countries because all of these countries lie on the border of the Persian Gulf.

List of GCC Countries.

There are only six countries that fall into the category of GCC Countries. They are considered close allies because of this alliance that was formed. These countries are :

Bahrain.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is located between Qatar and the Northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, connected by the King Fahd Causeway. Bahrain has 50 islands and 33 artificial islands.

The Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are very close and considered allies. Bahrain is also one of Saudi Arabia's largest trading partners.

Kuwait.

The State of Kuwait's border connects to Iraq from the north and Saudi Arabia from the south. Kuwait is the only country in Asia that is quite famous for its theatrical traditions.

The State of Kuwait used to inhabit a neutral area with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the past. Oil was discovered in that same area that the Saudis and people of Kuwait owned, so by 1969, the countries divided the area

Oman.

The Sultanate of Oman is located in southwest Asia. Oman houses many ancient aflaj oases, historical mosques and artifacts, fortresses, and stream valleys. The world's third-largest yacht is also in the Sultanate of Oman, owned by the Sultan.

Oman and Saudi Arabia have a relationship that goes way back into history, both of the countries' primary religion is Islam.

Qatar.

The State of Qatar has many futuristic skyscrapers and a breathtakingly beautiful shoreline of beaches., Qatar has much modern architecture that is inspired and designed by considering Islamic designs and historical places. The Museum of Islamic arts is also situated in the state of Qatar.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia have a few problems with each other, but they are still considered allies, and fellow members of the GCC Countries.

Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia Is known for being the fifth largest country in Asia. Quite known for its lovely beaches, and historical sites, Saudi Arabia has been known to attract tourists for generations.

United Arab Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates shares its borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia and has maritime borders with Iran and Qatar. The United Arab Emirates has one of the world's largest economies and provides hundreds of job opportunities to foreigners all around the world.

Many people assume that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are similar, but that is not the case, both countries share very different political, religious, and social values.

While people mostly assume that Iran is a part of the Gulf Cooperation Council, it is not. The countries Iran, and Iraq, are both not a member of the GCC alliance.

What is a Hayya card?

A Hayya card is a type of card that enables the applicant to watch the sports match in a stadium wherever it is held in a country, and it also has a few other benefits. You will however need to buy the ticket for the match after your Hayya card is approved.

On the 13th of October 2022, Saudi Arabia's government announced that Hayya Card holders will not need to pay the fees for the e-Visa this year. The Hayya cardholders will still need to pay for the health insurance fee, which is subject to the type of Visa you have requested. This offer is available from the 10th of November 2022 to the 18th of December 2022.

If you go to travel to Saudi Arabia through the use of a Hayya card, you will need to exit the country of Saudi Arabia by the 10th of January, 2023 as advised by the Saudi government.

Frequently Asked Questions