Visa system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The visa system varies according to the purpose of the visit. While citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are exempted from entry visas. Tourists and businessmen of all nationalities must obtain it in advance. Visa applications can be submitted at Saudi embassies and consulates located in most major cities around the world. The processing of applications may take up to 6 weeks. Visitors to the Kingdom are required to have a passport valid for at least six months, in addition to all other required documents.

Visa information

Here you will find everything you need to know about the visa system to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Visa System

The visa regime is an international protocol system in force in all countries of the world. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there are a set of regulations and laws related to this subject.

Visa extraction

If this visit of your delegation to the Kingdom is the first. We advise you first to go to the Saudi embassy or consulate in your country. Or the nearest representative of the Kingdom from your location. So that you can know the details of granting the Saudi visa. And it varies according to the purposes of the visit.

 

Visa types

The visa system in Saudi Arabia offers several visas, most notably:

• Work visa (permanent or temporary) issued for the purpose of recruitment to work inside the Kingdom for the private and government sectors.
• One of the types of visas is an investor visa, which is issued to business owners and investors who wish to complete commercial deals or establish investment projects in the Kingdom.
• Hajj and Umrah visa, which is for those wishing to perform the rituals of Umrah or the obligation of Hajj.
• Visit visa: It is divided into two parts. The first is for family visits. A family visit visa is granted to a legal resident in the Kingdom, in order to bring one of his first-degree relatives for the purpose of the visit, and it is for a month. It is renewable after applying for it, and this visa you can obtain Throughout the year, except for the Hajj season. As for the second section: it is for the purpose of the commercial visit and is granted for concluding corporate contracts or agreements with the Saudi side.
• Another type of visa is the diplomatic visa, which is granted to workers in consulates accredited to the Kingdom and their resident families, in addition to a business visa, which is valid for several trips and for a period of 12 months.
• Exhibitors and Speakers Visas: All exhibitors and speakers visas are approved by the National Exhibition and Convention Programme.
• Tourist Visa: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has opened its doors to visitors from all over the world with the electronic visa system as of September 2019. Visitors can obtain a one-year entry visa that allows them to enter the country multiple times and allows them to stay for a maximum of 90 days during its validity period. This visa can be used for tourism and Umrah activities (except for the Hajj season), and it does not include other activities such as studying.

Warnings before you travel

Advance planning

In this article, you will find many ideas that will help you while planning your travel.

Useful Tips

• To enjoy a quiet and beautiful trip to Saudi Arabia. We provide you with the best advice and the most important necessary information that you may need during your stay in Saudi Arabia.
• The Kingdom has 3 international airports and 22 domestic airports. The international airports are King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd Airport in Dammam. Domestic airports are well connected with cheap and organized flights.
• For lovers of cruises, given the Kingdom’s view of large areas of the wonderful sea coast and the multiplicity of ports in it. Cruises (diving, fishing, picnic) are organized from the main coastal ports and cities (Jeddah, Yanbu, Dammam, Jazan).
• Customs points are available at all land, air, and seaports in Saudi Arabia. It provides its services to travelers around the clock.
• The Kingdom’s climate varies from region to region due to its different terrain. In winter it reaches zero degrees and in summer it exceeds forty degrees. It is located under the influence of the tropical atmosphere. In general, the Kingdom’s climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Its rains are winter and the climate is moderate on the western and southwestern highlands. As for the central regions, their summers are hot and dry, and their winters are cold and dry. On the coasts, the temperature and humidity rise, and rain falls in the winter and spring. It is moderate rain over most regions of the Kingdom, except for the southwestern highlands of the Kingdom. Its rains are seasonal, summer, and heavier than the rest of the regions.

Health and safety

Health facilities are spread all over the Kingdom, including hospitals, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and physical therapy centers. Healthy services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have witnessed remarkable development and tangible progress during the past few decades. The extent that today they are comparable to the best levels of health services provided at the level of countries of the developed world. The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom seeks to combat all communicable diseases by providing the necessary vaccines,

public holidays

Knowing the official holidays in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provides the opportunity to better plan for a wonderful holiday. as Friday and Saturday are the official holidays for the public sector and some private sectors.

During this period, road congestion increases due to Saudis heading to recreation and camping areas in the desert.

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