eVisa tourist visa Saudi Arabia
WHAT IS AN ELECTRONIC TOURIST VISA TO SAUDI ARABIA?
An electronic tourist visa to Saudi Arabia is a new type of visa introduced by the Saudi immigration authorities. This visa was introduced to promote tourism in Saudi Arabia and is suitable for those categories of tourists who come to the country for leisure purposes. The processing of the electronic tourist visa is done entirely online, and the applicant receives the completed document via email. If you are a citizen of one of the 65 countries on the approved list, you can apply online for an electronic visa to Saudi Arabia based on certain criteria. This type of visa will allow you to travel to Saudi Arabia for short-term tourist purposes, including Umrah, excluding Hajj.
Types of electronic visa applications offered for Saudi Arabia Tourist visa:
- Since it is intended only for travel, it is easiest to obtain a tourist visa. You can use it for tourist activities such as entertainment and sightseeing trips. You can freely and without restrictions travel to most provinces of Saudi Arabia with a tourist visa for up to a maximum of 90 days.
- Umrah visa: This type of visa is only valid in certain areas of Jeddah, Mecca, or Medina. The only reason to obtain this visa is to perform Umrah outside of the Hajj season. Only Muslims are eligible to apply for this visa. You cannot work with this visa, extend your stay, or even visit other leisure destinations.
- Business/events: You can attend the following business events for a period of less than 90 days.
- Business meeting
- Business, trade, industrial, or commercial seminars
- Visits by “white-collar” technical staff for a period of less than 90 days.
- Conferences for business and trade
- Short-term meetings related to startups
- Any other commercial visits or seminars that do not require on-site contract signing.
Countries in this category include Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uzbekistan.
The visa application process begins with filling out a special form, which is available on the official website of Saudi Arabia for visa matters. To avoid delays or rejection of your application, it is important that all the data in the form is filled out accurately and matches your documents.
You will also need to upload a personal photograph. It is important to note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after the planned entry into Saudi Arabia.
After you have filled out the form and attached the necessary documents, the next step will be to submit the application online. The process of obtaining an electronic visa for Saudi Arabia is completely digital, which means you do not need to schedule an appointment or personally visit the embassy or consulate.
After filling out the application, you will be asked to pay a fee for the electronic visa to Saudi Arabia. This fee can be paid online using a credit or debit card.
The applicant’s passport must be valid for at least six months from the planned date of entry into Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the passport must have at least two blank pages for immigration officer stamps. To the application, you need to attach your personal photo. The photo should be recent (no older than six months), clear, and taken on a white background. Your face should be fully visible, and you should be looking straight into the camera.
The processing time for a tourist visa to Saudi Arabia is usually around 24 hours. However, it is recommended to apply for the visa well in advance of the planned travel date. This will ensure there is enough time for your application to be processed and allow for any unforeseen delays to be taken into account. A tourist visa to Saudi Arabia is valid for one year from the date of issuance and allows for multiple trips. The total duration of stay should not exceed 90 days. This visa is intended exclusively for tourism and does not allow for other activities such as work or study. If your visa is approved, you will receive it via email. This document should be printed and kept together with your travel documents, as you may be required to present it upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Residents of Persian Gulf countries can also apply for an electronic visa to Saudi Arabia online, provided that they are employed and have a valid residency permit for at least 3 months. Foreign citizens from 65 countries are eligible to obtain a visa upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, however, it is always recommended to apply online for an electronic visa to Saudi Arabia to avoid queues at the airport and possible delays. Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries can travel to Saudi Arabia without a visa by presenting a passport or national ID upon entry. All other foreign citizens, as well as those applying for a visa through the Saudi Arabian consulate, must apply for a visa at the nearest embassy or consulate of Saudi Arabia abroad before traveling to Saudi Arabia