Visa Requirements for Saudi Citizens
Visa requirements for Saudi Arabian citizens are pre-established foreign rules and regulations that apply to Saudi Arabian citizens when traveling abroad. The visa requirements set will determine whether Saudi passport holders need a visa to visit a selected foreign country.
Saudi Arabian citizens can travel abroad with four different types of entry, which are embassy-issued visa (traditional), e-visa, visa on arrival and visa-free visa . Currently, 104 countries require Saudi passport holders to apply for a regular visa at the embassy or consulate of the country being visited.
This process may require in-person visits to an appropriate official organization as well as the provision of extensive supporting documents. Only 30 countries allow Saudi citizens to apply for visas online using the convenient eVisa system.
This allows Saudi Arabian passport holders to apply for a visa online just days before their planned departure and receive the approved travel permit via email and avoid costly embassy visits.
time. 34 destinations allow Saudi nationals to apply for a visa upon arrival and thus avoid the pre-departure application process.
VoA registration can result in long queues and uncertainty regarding last-minute processing of required visas. Finally, 37 countries grant Saudi Arabian citizens visa-free entry, completely eliminating the need to apply for any type of visa for travel purposes.
This is the easiest way to travel abroad and is often used for short-term stays related to leisure, business or transit.
Below is more detailed information on each visa/entry category applicable to Saudi nationals according to current visa requirements, along with a list of countries offering each visa/entry category.
entry as well as their specific requirements and claim processes.
Electronic visa
In other words, an e-visa is an online visa – a short-term travel authorization document that can be easily obtained online following a quick and intuitive application process.
Applying for an eVisa takes just a few minutes and can be done at home or any other location using a phone, laptop, PC or even tablet.
List of countries offering eVisas for Saudi citizens
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Azerbaijan
- Benin
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Ivory Coast
- Kenya
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Tanzania
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
30 countries allow Saudi citizens to apply for visas online. Therefore, traveling from Saudi Arabia to one of the countries listed above requires submitting an eVisa application several days before departure.
The registration process typically requires travelers to prepare a valid passport, a working email address, and access to any online payment methods.
Saudi Arabian citizens can apply for their eVisas anywhere and at any time. Most countries process eVisas within 72 hours or less. The approved document will then be sent to each candidate via email as a PDF file.
It is best to print it before departure and present it to customs officials when boarding and checking in (if necessary).
An approved electronic visa allows its holder to stay abroad for a short period of time, usually between 30 and 90 days. Use of an eVisa can be for leisure, business or transit purposes, including going on vacation, visiting family or friends, attending professional events, conferences, seminars, meetings, handling business negotiations or simply stopping by to reach another final.
destination.
Visa on Arrival
A visa on arrival is a short-term travel permit issued after the visa application process at the border at the selected destination.
Saudi Arabian citizens wishing to travel abroad using VoA must prepare for visa processing before departure and apply at one of the border crossings upon arrival.
List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival for Saudi citizens
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Brunei
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- The Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Currently, 34 countries offer a visa-on-arrival option that Saudi passport holders can use when traveling internationally.
The first step in applying for a visa on arrival is to check current VoA requirements which may vary between destinations and prepare the necessary documents before you plan to depart. Then, upon arrival, with prepared documents in hand, the Saudi citizen must go to the nearest border crossing and ask to fill out a VoA form. The form must then be completed with appropriate and up-to-date data.
Before submitting your completed form, it’s best to double-check it and make sure it’s accurate. Applying for a visa at the border may result in long lines and last-minute waits for visas to be issued, which can be stressful for some people.
Some countries may also require additional measures to complete the registration process, such as providing additional supporting documents or paying a VoA issuance fee (which may need to be paid in cash). local currency level). It is therefore worth noting that many VoA countries also offer an eVisa option. Travelers who want to avoid long lines upon arrival and ensure they are prepared for their trip should check to see if their destination offers an eVisa option. The approved visa on arrival works like an eVisa, meaning it is a short-term travel permit that allows its holder to stay abroad for a short period of time (usually 30 or 90 days) to entertainment, business or transit-related reasons.
Embassy visa
An embassy visa is a traditional visa that can be issued after completing the application process at the embassy or consulate of the country being visited.
The application process may require providing numerous supporting documents and in-person visits to the embassy.
List of countries that require Saudi citizens to present a valid Embassy visa upon their arrival
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- The Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- The Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- The Czech Republic
- Denmark
- The Dominican Republic
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gambia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Latvia
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Mali
- Malta
- The Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- The Netherlands
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Saint Lucia
- San Marino
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- The Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkmenistan
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
104 countries require Saudi passport holders to present a valid embassy visa upon arrival. The visa application process may vary between countries and different embassy visa types.
However, in general, most embassy visa application processes require travelers to:
- Check the specific visa requirements applicable to the appropriate visa type and destination selected and prepare the required documents
- Fill the application form
- Visit the Embassy or Consulate they’ll be applying at and submit their application with the complete paperwork on hand
- Proceed with any additional steps that may be required, such as covering the visa issuing fee or undergoing a visa interview
- Wait for approval
It should be noted that waiting for visa approval from the embassy can take up to several weeks.
This is why you should submit your application well in advance of your scheduled departure. Embassy visas take longer to process and can come in many different types, including short-term and long-term documents, even those that allow you to work, study or reunite with relatives abroad.
Visa-free countries
There are 37 destinations that welcome Saudi citizens without a visa.
This is the easiest way to travel as it completely eliminates the need to apply for any type of visa before your planned trip.
List of visa-free countries for Saudi citizens
- Maldives
- Palau
- Albania
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Botswana
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Morocco
- Nicaragua
- Oman
- Panama
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Vanuatu
- Kosovo
As mentioned, visa-free travel procedures are extremely simple because visitors do not need a visa.
What is usually required is simply a valid passport or valid ID prepared before departure.
Some countries may require additional supporting documentation to help further confirm the purpose of the planned trip.
Additional supporting documents may include proof of hotel reservations for the trip, proof of sufficient funds to stay abroad, or a copy of one’s return ticket. Once in a visa-exempt country, Saudi passport holders can stay for short periods of time for any reason related to leisure, business or transit.