Pakistani Travelers To Enjoy Relaxed Saudi Tourist Visa Rules

It’s now easier for Pakistani travelers to acquire a Saudi tourist visa.

As of July 3, Saudi authorities have relaxed its rules and conditions for Pakistani visitors. The Saudi government is now accepting bank statements with a minimum monthly credit of USD 750 (PKR 208,123).

This move is in line with Saudi Arabia’s aim of streamlining its visa application requirements and attracting Pakistani travelers. According to the Saudi Tourism Agency, the kingdom increased its 2024 target by 43 percent to 2.7 million Pakistani visitors.

More VFS centers for Pakistani travelers

To support this initiative, Saudi Arabia has opened six VFS (Visa Facilitation Services) Tasheer centers in Pakistan. These are located in the cities of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Quetta.

These VFS Tasheer centers offer visa application services such as biometrics enrollment, passport delivery, status tracking, and visa application guidance. Interested Pakistani applicants can easily schedule a visa appointment online.

Increased visa options for Pakistani travelers

In 2023, Saudi Arabia also opened free Saudi transit visas to Saudia and Flynas passengers passing through Saudi Arabia. The Saudi transit visa allows holders to enjoy tourism activities, visit family and friends, or perform Umrah within 96 hours.

Additionally, Pakistani travelers who have an active US, UK, or Schengen visit visa are also eligible for a Saudi visa on arrival. The visit visa must have been used at least once, with at least one entry stamp.

Also in 2023, Saudi Arabia made available a one-year multiple-entry visa for Pakistani visitors. This allows them to reunite with family or friends, go sightseeing, or perform the Umrah pilgrimage. With the eased visa conditions, Saudi Arabia expects to see a spike in Pakistani travelers.

In the same year, a Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) representative announced that it is boosting its campaign targeting Pakistani tourists. This supports Saudi Arabia’s aim of welcoming over 3.5 million annual Pakistani tourists by 2030. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan also entered an agreement to increase the number of flights between the two countries.

Nusuk: A gateway for Pakistanis

Historically, Saudi Arabia has been Pakistani travelers’ preferred destination, especially during the months of Ramadan. Pakistanis visit the kingdom to perform the Umrah pilgrimage as well as pray at its religious sites.

In line with this, Saudi authorities launched the Nusuk platform in Pakistan in 2023. Nusuk is a holistic, one-stop-shop platform for pilgrims to plan their spiritual journey. It covers essential Umrah and Hajj requirements, from creating Hajj or Umrah itineraries and booking accommodation to securing relevant visas.

Remarked Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets at STA, “We are very optimistic [about] the launch of Nusuk because from Pakistan in this year alone, we have welcomed more than one million visitors.”

“And most of them are coming to Saudi to perform Umrah, but also there are a lot of Pakistanis who are coming for business.”

More than 2.5 million Pakistanis live and work in Saudi Arabia. These individuals are regularly visited by their family, friends, and loved ones.

Image by freepik