Saudi Transit Visa for US Citizens: What You Need to Know About

Introduction

Great things are in store for Saudi Arabia in the next few years. It’s investing $800 billion in its tourism sector, with several mega projects in progress. If you’re an anime fan, you might be excited about the upcoming first-ever Dragon Ball Z theme park. US citizens can visit Saudi Arabia if they are passing through the country on a layover. What’s the process like to avail of a Saudi transit visa for US citizens? Read on to learn more.

Getting a Saudi transit visa

Before we dive into detail as to how US citizens can obtain a Saudi transit visa, let’s first define what a transit visa is.

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.

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.

   1. 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 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 are 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 discussed in detail how US citizens can apply for a Saudi transit visa, we’re sure you may still have other burning questions about it. The following are helpful answers to some frequently asked questions about the Saudi transit visa and traveling to Saudi Arabia in general.

What are the nationalities eligible for a transit visa?

Travelers of all nationalities are eligible to apply for a Saudi transit visa, provided they are passing through Saudi Arabia before arriving at their final destination.

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.

How can I get a Saudi visa from the US?

If you are a US citizen or a US permanent resident, you are eligible to apply for a Saudi e-visa or a Saudi visa on arrival. These cover travel purposes such as tourism, visiting family and friends, engaging in business activities, seeking medical treatment, or performing Umrah.

If I have a Saudi tourist visa, can I visit Makkah and Al Madinah?

Note that you may only visit Makkah if you are a Muslim visitor, while Al Madinah is open to all tourists. As an alternative, you may want to check out the many sites around Makkah to learn more about Saudi Arabia’s rich culture and heritage.

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 next few years are an exciting time for Saudi Arabia as it is investing billions in tourism mega projects.
US citizens, as well as travelers from all parts of the world, may wish to avail of a Saudi transit visa, if they are passing through the country as part of a layover that is 12 to 96 hours long. The Saudi transit visa is available to travelers of all nationalities.

For more information as to how US citizens can apply for a Saudi transit visa, visit KSA Visa.

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