Saudi Transit Visa For UAE Residents: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

It’s an exciting time for the Gulf region, with Saudi Arabia at the helm of big developments on the tourism front. For starters, there are plans for a unified tourist visa to be made available to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals. Saudi Arabia is also investing $800 billion in its tourism sector, in the hopes of attracting 150 million annual visitors by 2030. Travelers passing through Saudi Arabia have the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia’s wealth of natural wonders, provided they meet certain requirements. That being said, what’s the process like to obtain a Saudi transit visa for UAE residents? Who is eligible for one and what are the requirements?

In this article, we share how UAE residents can apply for a Saudi transit visa.

Defining the transit visa

Let’s first define what a transit visa is before we jump into the specifics of how UAE residents can apply for one.

The Saudi transit visa is a travel document that permits you to pass through another country en route to your destination. For instance, you may be traveling to Europe from Asia and your flight would need to make a stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi transit visa (sometimes also referred to as a stopover visa), in particular, refers to temporary entry into Saudi Arabia for a few hours to a few days as part of a layover, or when passing through Saudi Arabia via land or sea. It allows travelers to pass through Saudi land borders, airports, or ports for no more than 96 hours.

Transit visa holders may perform a variety of activities while in Saudi Arabia, such as going sightseeing or performing Umrah, but not Hajj.

Eligibility

Now that we know what a transit visa is, let’s find out who can apply for it. In particular, are UAE residents eligible for it?

A transit visa is open to all nationalities and is only required if your layover in Saudi Arabia is over 12 hours. If your stay in the country is between 12 to 96 hours, then you are eligible for a Saudi transit visa. This means that UAE residents, regardless of their nationality, may apply for a Saudi transit visa.

Validity

Those eligible for a Saudi transit/stopover visa may enjoy its 96-hour validity period upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Once you have a Saudi transit 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 

Before we dive into the specifics of applying for a Saudi transit visa, let’s learn about the different types of transit visas, as these will dictate the process or fees involved.

1. Transit/stopover visa with Flynas or Saudia
   If you’d like to avail of a free Saudi transit/stopover visa, then you should book your long-haul flight via Saudi Arabia’s Saudia or Flynas Airlines.When you book with these two airlines, your transit/stopover visa will be automatically generated and e-mailed to you once approved.To avail of a transit/stopover visa via Saudia or Flynas, log on to their respective sites https://www.saudia.com/transit-visa or https://www.flynas.com/en/stopovervisa to select a flight with a suitable connection period.

   Enter your personal details and passport information and pay for the transit/stopover visa fee. Note that while the transit/stopover visa is free, it is still subject to administrative and medical insurance fees.

2. Standard transit visa
   While the transit visa through Saudia or Flynas is free of charge, you may prefer a different airline or have already booked a flight that will pass through Saudi Arabia beyond 12 hours and no more than 96 hours. In this case, you may apply for a standard transit visa.To apply for this visa, visit KSA Visa and select the applicable transit visa (Land Transit Visa, Air Transit Visa, or Sea Transit Visa).Similar to the e-visa application, you’ll be asked to provide information such as your personal information, passport information, etc. before being asked to pay the medical insurance fee, visa fee, and application fees.

   If you are transiting Saudi Arabia by air and have two separate flights (two bookings), you’ll need the transit visa to claim your luggage and check it in once more for your next flight. If, on the other hand, you have a connecting flight and have just one booking, no need to claim your luggage and check it in again. Your luggage should make it through to your final destination.

Requirements

To apply for a standard transit visa, you’ll need to prepare the following:

• Passport with at least six months validity remaining
• Passport-size photo with a white background. The file must not exceed 20kb in size and should be in JPEG or PNG formats. The image dimensions allowed are 200×200 pixels.
• Health insurance

Processing time

The great thing about applying for a Saudi transit/stopover visa online is that it only takes about just three minutes to finish. You should receive the transit visa instantly in your e-mail inbox.

Visa fees

As mentioned, while you can avail of a free transit/stopover visa via Saudia or Flynas, note that it is still subject to an administrative fee of $10 as well as medical insurance fees, which may vary depending on the nationality of the applicant and his/her chosen insurance provider. It costs SAR 93.73 ($24.99) via Saudia or Flynas and around SAR 100 ($26.66) for a standard/transit visa (inclusive of tax and insurance fees). Note that these fees are non-refundable.

The same admin and insurance fees also apply to the standard transit visa.

Applying on behalf of children or a group

If you’re transiting through Saudi Arabia, you might be touring the country with family or friends. If, on the other hand, you are availing of the free transit/stopover visa through Saudia/Flynas on behalf of children, simply enter their passenger and passport details on the airlines’ respective websites.

Should you be applying for a standard Saudi transit visa on behalf of children and you are their guardian, you should apply for the children’s transit visa using your KSA Visa 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 yours and you must have first secured your transit e-visa before you can apply for the child’s transit e-visa.

In the event that you’re applying for a transit e-visa on behalf of a group, click “Save and add applicants” to add the other group members. If there are children in the group, just fill out the same guardian form. 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, apply via a VFS Tasheer center or a Saudi embassy/consulate.

Finding and keeping a copy of your transit 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

Apart from the above-mentioned requirements to obtain a Saudi transit visa, you will also need to acquire travel insurance for your trip. According to Saudi Arabia’s Council of Health Insurance (CHI), health insurance is mandatory if you are applying for a 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 covered how UAE residents can apply for a Saudi transit visa, we’re sure you might still have some other burning questions in mind about it. The following are answers to frequently asked questions about transit visas, Saudi visas, in general, and traveling to Saudi Arabia.

While I was applying for a Saudi transit visa, I noticed that the cost of health insurance varies depending on the nationality of the applicant. What’s the basis for this?

Saudi Arabia’s Council of Health Insurance (CHI) determines the price of the insurance offer depending on the applicant’s provided information. In some cases, the applicant’s country may have a lower income or a higher incidence of certain diseases, hence the pricier cost of health insurance.

If I have a Saudi transit visa, can I drive during my 96-hour stay?

Yes, if you are in Saudi Arabia under a transit visa, you may drive as long as you have an international or foreign license valid for one year from your date of entry into Saudi Arabia, or valid for one year from its expiration, whichever is earlier.

Can I apply for another tourist visa?

You may not apply for another tourist visa if you are currently under a valid Saudi tourist visa. You may re-apply for a new tourist visa once the current one expires.

Can I extend my stay in Saudi Arabia with an e-visa?

Note that if you are granted a Saudi e-visa, it cannot be extended.

Conclusion

It’s an exciting time for the Gulf region with Saudi Arabia proposing plans for a unified tourist visa and the country investing $800 billion in its tourism sector.

UAE residents and other travelers passing through Saudi Arabia are eligible for a Saudi transit visa, provided their layover is between 12 to 96 hours and they have a valid passport.

The Saudi transit visa allows them to perform a variety of activities, from tourism to performing Umrah.

For more information on how to apply for a transit visa, visit KSA Visa.

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