Simplified Travel: All You Need to Know About Saudi Visa on Arrival

Introduction

Gone are the days when applying for a visa meant only one thing: needing to wait in possibly long lines to personally appear at an embassy, be interviewed, and submit physical copies of documents. In some cases, you might also need to go back to submit additional documents or provide additional information. For the longest time, the process had been manual, tedious, time-consuming, and potentially nerve-wracking, too.

These days, travelers have the privilege of getting to apply online and foregoing outdated procedures. For Saudi Arabia, in particular, you have the Saudi e-visa and the Saudi visa on arrival. Zooming in on the Saudi visa on arrival, how exactly does it work? Who are eligible for it and what are the requirements? How easy is the process and does it guarantee you entry?

In this article, we explore all these elements and shed light on them.

The Saudi visa on arrival

Before we dive into the specifics of getting a Saudi visa on arrival, we must define what it is. What exactly is a visa on arrival?

As its name implies, the Saudi visa on arrival is a visa available to eligible visitors once they arrive at a Saudi port of entry. Provided they meet certain criteria, they will only need to provide their passport information and certain personal data, and they will be granted a visa within minutes.

Eligibility

Now that we’ve defined what a visa on arrival is, let’s get into the details specific to a Saudi visa on arrival. Travelers are eligible for a Saudi visa on arrival if they meet the following conditions:

1. They are a citizen of the following countries:

North America: Canada, Panama, US, 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 US, 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

Apart from knowing what a visa on arrival is and who is eligible for it, it’s also important that you know how long it is valid for, especially if you plan on frequently visiting Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi visa on arrival is valid for 1 year from its issuance date. The multiple-entry tourist visa on arrival is valid for 1 year from the date of issuance. It allows the traveler to stay for a maximum of 90 days. The single-entry tourist visa on arrival, meanwhile, is valid for 3 months from its date of issuance, and travelers can stay for up to 30 days.

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

There are two ways that you can apply for a Saudi visa on arrival: using a self-service kiosk or heading to a passport control desk.

For the self-service option, you should go to the passport control area once you arrive at one of Saudi Arabia’s international airports. There, approach any of the available self-service kiosks, scan your passport, enter your personal information as well as details of your accommodation before scanning your fingerprints for the biometrics. Take a photo, select a medical insurance provider, and pay for the visa on arrival.

Alternatively, you can go through an immigration officer at passport control, go through the same process, provide the same information, and pay the corresponding fees to receive a Saudi visa on arrival.

Requirements

If you’re eligible for a Saudi visa on arrival, you’ll just need the following:

• If you are a holder of an active US, UK, or Schengen visa, you should have at least one entry stamp in your passport using the visa).
• A passport with a validity period of at least 6 months at the time of the trip

Processing time

Once you’ve gone through the application process, and assuming there are no issues with your information, it only takes between 5 to 30 minutes for your Saudi on-arrival visa to be issued.

Visa fees

The total visa application fee amounts to SAR 480 ($127.98), which already includes the cost of health insurance and taxes. Note that visa fees are non-refundable.

Applying for a Saudi visa on behalf of children or a groupChances are, you may be touring Saudi Arabia with family or friends.

If you are applying for a Saudi transit visa on behalf of your children, you as their guardian must go through the same process at the self-service kiosk using their passports, assisting them with the biometrics part. If you prefer to go through passport control, inform the immigration officer that you have your kids with you.

Note that if you are traveling in a group, your adult companions must go through the self-service kiosk or passport control processes individually.

Finding and printing your visaYou 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 tourist 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

While we’ve already covered the basics of applying for a Saudi visa on arrival, you may still have some other concerns in mind. Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.

What can you do under a Saudi visa on arrival?

With a Saudi visa on arrival, you can participate in tourist activities such as sightseeing and attending events; visiting family, friends, and relatives; and Umrah.

What is the difference between a Saudi e-visa and a Saudi visa on arrival?

The key difference between a Saudi e-visa and a Saudi visa on arrival is that for an e-visa, the applicant needs to go through an online application process before traveling. For the Saudi visa on arrival, meanwhile, no prior application is required. They just need to provide certain personal and passport information, select a medical insurance provider, and pay the necessary fees to obtain a Saudi visa on arrival.

What if your Saudi visa expires while you’re in Saudi Arabia?

In case you extend your stay in Saudi Arabia beyond the validity of your Saudi visa on arrival, you’ll need to pay an overstay fee of SAR 100 for each day.

Is it possible for your Saudi visa on arrival to be rejected?

Although there are clear guidelines on who is eligible for a Saudi visa on arrival, remember that any visa is a conditional document and the final say will have to come from the immigration officer.

Yes, it’s possible for a Saudi visa on arrival to be rejected. Some of the possible reasons may be insufficient documents, previous visa violations, inaccurate or incomplete personal information, falsification of travel history, health issues, or insufficient funds.

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

As Saudi Arabia opens its gates further to the world, citizens from a good number of countries; US, UK, or Schengen visa holders; as well as US, UK, and EU residents can enjoy eligibility to apply for a Saudi e-visa or a Saudi visa on arrival.

The visa on arrival is a quick and easy means for eligible travelers to enter Saudi Arabia without a prior visa application. It removes the need for tedious processes and makes it convenient for travelers to visit the country anytime they wish.

To learn more about the Saudi visa-on-arrival option, click here.

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