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Do I Need a VISA to Visit Saudi Arabia?

Do I Need a VISA to Visit Saudi Arabia?

Jun 7, 2024

Last Updated on: Jun 19, 2024

You should purchase the visit to most of the countries in the world except for a few. Saudi Arabia is encouraging international travelers to visit their country and explore the beauty of their cities and Islamic landmarks in their country with the purpose of Umrah or booking an adventurous trip because there are a lot of places where you can enjoy the most.

In fact, tourism contributes a significant portion of the Saudi economy nowadays. People from different parts of the globe plan to visit Saudi Arabia to have a good time. That’s why, Saudi Arabia is focusing on providing facilities to visitors so that they can enjoy at best.

The same goes with pilgrims as well. Pilgrimage also contributes to the Saudi economy and helps the government to maintain the spirituality of the land. This is a reason the Saudi government ensures that pilgrims have a fulfilling experience during their stay. Umrah packages also help pilgrims in this regard. The purpose is to make pilgrims free from tackling management and focus on Ibadah.

However, the question is whether visitors can enter Saudi Arabia without a visa. If not, what type of visa should they consider before proceeding with their plan? Well, read ahead.

Why Do I Need a VISA When Visiting Saudi Arabia?

KSA is a hub for Islamic landmarks. Because the kingdom is significant both in terms of spirituality and modernity, it has become a top priority of visitors nowadays. Some of them want to explore Saudi heritage, while others seek closeness to Allah and his house, the Kabbah.

But it requires you to have a relevant VISA anyway. A VISA document is a legal issuance certificate that outsiders need to enter a foreign country. Just like other countries, Saudi Arabia also requires you to have a VISA.

For pilgrims, it’s easier to get VISA approval through Umrah packages. Providing VISA application assistance and ensuring VISA approval is part of these Umrah and Hajj deals.

The same happens with cheap plans like the 12 Nights 4 star Umrah package. You just have to arrange the required documents and enter personal details on the VISA application. Then, the travel agencies take care of application submission and approval.

Though visitors don’t have to apply for VISAs through Umrah package deals, they require a VISA to enter Saudi Arabia. However, these VISA requirements and details are different under different conditions. So, let’s see what type of visa you should consider according to your plans.

Who Needs a VISA?

Just like in other countries, entering Saudi Arabia also requires a VISA. A VISA refers to a travel document or a legal statement.

The main purpose of requiring a VISA is to define your purpose for visiting the country of Saudi Arabia. If you are a business traveller, tourist, or pilgrim, you need to apply for a specific type, for instance.

In addition, visa documents are also necessary for countries to keep checks and balances on the entry and take-off of tourists. Through a VISA, tourists can claim their rights to their respective country’s government. Similarly, it also guarantees the safety and integrity of the country.

The same policy is for Saudi Arabia. You should apply for a specific type of VISA to enter the KSA. However, Saudi Arabia also has exceptions.

Our honourable customers who are living in some of the Gulf countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar can enter the boundary of Saudi Arabia without a VISA. Similarly, the VISA Waiver Agreement allows some travelers to apply for a VISA on arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In general, visitors must need a VISA to enter Saudi Arabia. However, it is better to research whether you need a VISA or not. And if so, what type of visa do you need?

Types of VISA for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia earns a lot of money from tourism. It includes pilgrims and tourists alike. Therefore, Saudi Arabia focuses on enhancing the experience of visitors. The VISA process and requirements also reflect the simplification of visiting Saudi Arabia.

For instance, Saudi Arabia issues different types of VISA documents to travellers according to their needs. This way, the process of entry into the kingdom works.

In general terms, the price of all these VISA types varies depending on the purpose of the visit. For example, travellers apply for tourist VISAs and can stay in the country for up to 90 days.

Tourist visas, Umrah visas, Hajj visas, business visas, and work visas are the most common types of VISAs that are availed from Saudi Embassies by global travellers. This VISA type comes with a validity of one year with multiple visits in a year.

Umrah VISA and Hajj VISA

An Umrah VISA tells everything. Pilgrims apply for an Umrah VISA to perform the Umrah pilgrimage. Umrah packages also help them engage with Ziarat tours. This VISA type offers a short validity period, usually equal to the duration of the Umrah pilgrimage only.

Similarly, pilgrims get a Hajj VISA to perform Hajj. Hajj VISA also comes up with short validity, often for the duration of Hajj.

Business VISA

Business VISA allows people to visit Saudi Arabia for work activities. For instance, with a business VISA, you can attend meetings or conferences in Saudi Arabia.

However, it’s a dynamic type of VISA that comes up with multiple entries as well as a single entry, depending on your work requirements and duration.

Employee or Work VISA

Another type of Saudi VISA is a work VISA. It’s for individuals who have a job offer from Saudi Arabia and want to live there as an employee. Work VISAs remain valid up to the job contract or need renewal frequently.

In short, Saudi Arabia streamlines the process of entry into the kingdom. So, define the purpose of your visit and apply for a relevant visa.

VISA Requirements

Now, you will find out what type of VISA you have to get. After all, it’s easier to spot until the purpose of your visit is clear to you. Here, a question hits your mind: how to you apply for a Saudi VISA?

You should collect all the necessary documents. These include:

a valid passport
passport size photographs
VISA application form
proof of hotel accommodations in KSA
non-refundable tickets.

In some of cases, it is also important to avail yourself of travel insurance, health insurance, and relevant additional documents.

After making sure you have the necessary documents on hand, proceed with the application process. Note that pilgrims have to apply for an Umrah VISA through Umrah packages. The same goes for affordable deals like the 12 Nights 4-star Umrah.

However, travellers, visitors, and working employees can apply for Saudi VISAs through the eVISA portal.

To proceed, follow these steps:

Go to the eVISA official page and fill out the application form with personal and travel details.
Upload the necessary documents and pay the VISA fee.
Submit the form and look for approval.

Visitors can also apply for a VISA in person through the embassy. Take an application form and the necessary documents. Fill out the application form, attach the documents, and visit the Saudi embassy to submit the documents in person. Also, pay the fee there as they will guide you and wait for the approval.

Tips to Ensure VISA Approval

Applying for a Saudi VISA document is straightforward. This is because Saudi Arabia streamlines the whole process to promote tourism. However, some people still find the whole process challenging, and it has some reasons.

For instance, leaving the application form incomplete is a common mistake that ends up with a VISA rejection. To avoid it, read every section of the application form carefully and fill in all the required fields. Also, double-check the form before submitting it.

On the other hand, some people add inaccurate information to the application form, which can also cause visa rejection.

For instance, avoid spelling mistakes, wrong passport numbers, and incorrect travel dates in the application form. The best solution to avoid these mistakes is to cross-check all the information with your official documents and details.

Conclusion

Following this, make sure to avoid missing documents while submitting the application form. So, be careful with your documents and make a list of required documents in the first place. After that, as you upload the document, mark that one on your list, and that’s it.

Similarly, providing poor-quality photos and submitting late application forms also lead to VISA rejection. So, follow the photo guidelines beforehand and also submit the application form in advance. It will save you from approval delays all the way.

Additional Reading:

Ankita Tripathy

Ankita Tripathy loves to write about food and the Hallyu Wave in particular. During her free time, she enjoys looking at the sky or reading books while sipping a cup of hot coffee. Her favourite niches are food, music, lifestyle, travel, and Korean Pop music and drama.

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BY Nabamita Nov 30, 2023

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Do I Need a VISA to Visit Saudi Arabia?