How to Secure Your Saudi Business Visa

Introduction

Gone are the days when the only way to apply for a Saudi visa meant submitting physical copies of documents to an embassy or consulate. These days, you can also easily apply online for an electronic visa.

Since Saudi Arabia re-opened in 2021, its tourists from abroad ballooned from 3.48 to 16.64 million in 2022. Stronger economic growth is also expected in the country in 2024, with the non-oil sector forecasted to grow by 3 to 4%, driven by spending on new entertainment and tourism opportunities.

Keeping this in mind, how can you obtain a Saudi business visa?

In this article, we share the steps to applying for a Saudi business visa, as well as the different requirements and procedures.

Saudi’s Business E-Visa

Gone are the days when the only way you could apply for a visa was to make a physical appearance at an embassy or consulate, submit hard copies of documents, and return to pick up your passport.

These days, going online is the quickest, easiest, and most convenient way of getting a Saudi business visa. As Saudi Arabia opens its gates further to the world, travelers have more options to gain access to the country.

KSA Visa, Saudi Arabia’s new unified national platform for visa applications, serves as a comprehensive guide to the country’s visa application process, requirements, and corresponding fees.

The e-visa, available through KSA Visa– is an easy and convenient way of applying for a Saudi visa as it removes the need to book an appointment, physically line up, and manually submit documents at a Saudi embassy or consulate. Applicants can choose their desired specific visa and apply for it from the website to obtain it electronically.

Under the new e-visa system, travelers arriving in Saudi Arabia no longer need to get a visa sticker stamped on their passports. Instead, these are replaced by a printed e-visa featuring a QR code. This QR code will contain all the essential data and information about the passenger, effectively functioning as a digital visa. The e-visa can be accessed via the KSA Visa website and it will be instantly delivered via email.

However, the e-visa is only applicable to those eligible for it. Who can apply for a business e-visa and what are the requirements? What is the process like? Read on to learn more.

Eligibility

Now that we know how the e-visa works, it’s time to find out if you’re eligible to apply for it.

The following can apply for an e-visa, provided they are:

1. Citizens of the following countries:

• North America: Canada, Panama, USA, Saint Kitts, and Nevis
• Europe: Andorra, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom,
• Asia: Brunei, China (Including Hong Kong And Macau), Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Tajikistan, Turkey, Thailand, Uzbekistan
• Africa: South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

2. Permanent residents in the USA, EU, or the UK

3. Holders of visit visas (Schengen, US, UK)

4. Residents in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates)

Note that dual citizenships from the mentioned countries also make you eligible for a Saudi e-visa or visa on arrival.

Validity

The Saudi business e-visa is valid for a total stay duration of 90 days. You may apply for either a single-entry visa (valid for 90 days) or a multiple-entry visa (valid for one year).

Once you have a Saudi e-visa, you may check it through Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) website. Just visit MOFA’s Visa services platform and look for the Enquiry field, select “Visa document number, indicate your visa number, and your passport number, followed by your nationality and the image code for the Captcha. Once verified, you’ll see the status of your Saudi visa.

In case you overstay in Saudi Arabia, you will need to pay a fine of SAR 100 ($26.66) at the airport for each day you’ve extended your permitted stay in the country beyond your visa validity.

Application

Now that we know who is eligible for a Saudi e-visa, let’s understand how it works.

Under the new e-visa system, travelers arriving in Saudi Arabia don’t need to get a visa sticker stamped on their passports. Instead, these are replaced by a printed e-visa featuring a QR code. The e-visa can be accessed online and will be instantly delivered via email.

To apply for a Saudi e-visa, travelers must visit KSA Visa. From the homepage, look for the “Find your visa to travel to Saudi Arabia” selection, click “The Visit,” and select “Business” as the purpose of the visit. If your nationality, residence, or active visa qualifies you as eligible for a Saudi e-visa, you’ll see the e-visa among your visa options.

You’ll need to provide details for the e-visa, such as if you’re applying for a single or multiple-entry visa, and how you’ll be traveling to Saudi Arabia. You’ll also need to input your personal and passport information, as well as a digital passport photo. It should be in JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, or BMP file formats and must not be bigger than 100 KB in size. Make sure its dimensions are 200 x 200 pixels.

Note that the name on your visa must match the name on your passport. If the name on your passport consists of only two names, fill out the first and last name fields. You’ll only need to fill out the middle name field if you have one in your passport.

Once done, select a medical insurance provider and pay the visa fee.

Requirements

To apply for a business e-visa, you will need the following:

• Passport with at least 6 months validity
• Digital passport photo with a white background (in JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, or BMP file formats; not bigger than 100 KB; and 200×200 pixels in dimension)
• Accomplished application form
• Health insurance

Note that you will be given the option to apply for a business e-visa with an invitation letter or without an invitation letter. If you have an invitation letter, you’ll need to indicate the invitation letter number and the passport or Iqama (resident permit) number of your sponsor or the inviting individual in Saudi Arabia.

Processing time

The processing time can take anywhere between 1 minute to 3 business days. You’ll know if your visa has been approved once you receive an e-mail from KSA Visa.

Visa fees

The Saudi business e-visa includes $80 for the visa fee (refundable), $10.50 for the visa digital service fee (non-refundable), $10.50 for the insurance digital service fee (non-refundable), and the insurance fees (Note that the insurance fee will vary depending on your chosen medical insurance provider). You can pay via international debit or credit card.

Applying for a Saudi e-visa on behalf of children or a group

Chances are, you may not be visiting Saudi Arabia on your own.

If applying for a Saudi e-visa on behalf of children, the guardian should apply for the children’s e-visa using his/her account. Simply tick the box “apply on behalf of someone else” and indicate your name as their guardian.

Note that the child’s nationality must match that of the guardian and the guardian must have first secured his/her own e-visa before he can apply for the child’s e-visa.

If you’re applying for an e-visa on behalf of a group that includes children, fill out the same guardian form and click “Save and add applicants” to add the other group members. Note that the nationality of the one applying for the group must match those of the group members.

If there are different nationalities within the group, they will need to apply via a VFS Tasheer center or a Saudi embassy/consulate.

Finding and keeping a copy of your e-visa

You won’t need to present a hard copy of your visa, because it will show up in the Saudi travel authorities’ system. But it is recommended to keep a digital copy on your mobile phone.

If you wish to print your visa and you did not receive a copy of it, visit https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/visaservices/searchvisa (from the website of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to print it from the platform.

Insurance

According to Saudi Arabia’s Council of Health Insurance (CHI), health insurance is mandatory if you are applying for a business visa.
Once your visa is issued, your health insurance will automatically be activated. The health insurance will cover in-patient treatment (including the cost of COVID-19 treatment) and all health emergencies by a network of approved healthcare service providers.

When making a claim, note that it is not necessary to pay a deductible or a co-payment when you visit an authorized health insurance provider such as a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or an ambulance service center.

To get a copy of your insurance policy, download it as a PDF file through the same account you used for the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Although we’ve provided important general information on the Saudi business e-visa, we’re sure you may still have questions and clarifications about it, on Saudi visas, and traveling to Saudi Arabia in general. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

Can I travel with family members on a Saudi business e-visa?

Generally speaking, Saudi business e-visas are meant for individual business travelers and not for groups such as families. However, they can accompany you on a business trip if they apply for separate visas appropriate to their travel purposes.

Is it possible to amend my data after submitting the visa application?

You cannot make changes to a Saudi e-visa if there is a mistake in the visa holder’s declared information apart from his/her nationality or passport number. As you cannot modify an e-visa, it will need to be canceled and you will need to re-apply for a new e-visa.

If, however, the embassy issued the visa with an incorrect nationality or passport number, then a new visa with the correct nationality or passport number can be issued for a fee. It won’t be necessary to cancel or revoke the old visa.

What should I wear while I’m in Saudi Arabia?

Both men and women should dress modestly while in Saudi Arabia, otherwise they potentially face penalties. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes or clothes displaying profane language or images. Women should cover their shoulders and knees when in public.

Generally, wearing long, loose tops, long pants or trousers, or long skirts up to the ankle is safe. The only time you should not abide by this rule is when the situation calls for different attire, such as when swimming. Similarly, choose to wear modest swimming attire.

Conclusion

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a fitting location for conducting business and commercial-related activities, with its array of accommodations, special economic zones, and financial and business districts.

Applying for a Saudi business visa is easy and convenient with its e-visa platform, which can issue e-visas by the minute.

For more information, visit Saudi Arabia’s e-visa website.

Image by jcomp on Freepik