Getting a Saudi Arabia visa used to mean weeks of paperwork through an embassy with no guarantee of approval. That changed years ago, and by 2026 most travelers can apply from their phone and have a decision within a day. What still trips people up isn’t the application itself, it’s figuring out which of the Kingdom’s several visa categories actually applies to their trip. This guide walks through every route into Saudi Arabia, what each one costs, and exactly how to apply.
Who Actually Needs a Visa for Saudi Arabia
Not everyone does. Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE travel to Saudi Arabia without any visa at all, as part of the GCC’s freedom-of-movement arrangement between member states. Everyone else needs one of the visa categories below before they can enter, with the specific route depending on nationality and purpose of travel.
The Main Ways to Get a Saudi Arabia Visa
The Tourist eVisa: What Most Travelers Actually Need
For the overwhelming majority of people searching for a Saudi Arabia visa, the tourist eVisa is the one that matters. It’s issued by the Ministry of Tourism through the official Visit Saudi eVisa portal and covers tourism, attending events, visiting family, and individual Umrah outside restricted Hajj periods. It does not cover employment or formal study.
Eligible nationalities span 66 countries across five regions:
- North America: Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Grenada, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, United States
- Europe: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, 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: Azerbaijan, Brunei, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan
- Africa: Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa
- Oceania: Australia, New Zealand
If your country isn’t on this list, don’t assume you’re locked out. Holders of a valid US, UK, or Schengen visa that’s already been used once can typically still apply for a Saudi visa online through the same portal, regardless of their nationality. Anyone who doesn’t meet either condition needs to apply through Tasheer, Saudi Arabia’s official visa service centers instead.
What the eVisa Actually Costs
The official portal processes payment at checkout, and the fee breaks down into three components. Based on a confirmed application checkout, the standard eVisa charges SAR 300 for the visa fee itself, SAR 180 for mandatory medical insurance (including VAT), and roughly SAR 8.50 in an associated transaction fee, bringing the total to approximately SAR 488.51 (roughly USD 130) for a single applicant. This breakdown can shift slightly based on your assigned insurance provider and payment method, so treat the amount shown at your own checkout as final.
Note: The checkout screen on the official portal only becomes visible to nationalities from the 66 eligible countries listed above. If your passport isn’t on that list, you won’t be able to view this pricing directly and should confirm current fees through your nearest Saudi embassy or consulate instead.
How to Apply for the Saudi eVisa
Go to the official portal at visa.visitsaudi.com and select “Apply Now” to begin.
Create your eVisa account by selecting your Passport Type and Country of Nationality, then completing the captcha to proceed.
Fill in your registration details, including your name, mobile number, email, a secret question, and password, then verify your account through the activation link.
Choose your application type, selecting either “Apply for Individual” or “Apply for Group” depending on whether you’re traveling alone or with others.
Complete your personal information, including whether you’re applying on someone else’s behalf, your nationality, and a digital photo meeting the 200x200px specification.
Enter your passport and traveler details, including passport number, issue place, and issue and expiry dates. Your passport must be valid at least six months beyond your application date.
Select a medical insurance provider from the approved list (options include Tawuniya, BUPA Arabia, MedGulf, and others), since this coverage is bundled into your application.
Read and accept the terms and conditions, which cover your 90-day stay allowance, restrictions on accessing Mecca and Madina as a non-Muslim, and the separate Nusuk permit required for Umrah.
Review your application summary, confirming applicant details, passport information, and traveler count are all correct before proceeding, since edits aren’t possible once payment is submitted.
Complete payment to finalize your application, covering the visa fee, insurance, and transaction charges. Your eVisa arrives by email, typically within 24 hours.
The New Visa Package: A Different Route Worth Knowing
Since July 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has been piloting a Visa Package that bundles a confirmed round-trip flight, a licensed hotel stay at a four-star property or higher, and the electronic tourist visa into a single booking through authorized travel providers, with the visa issued within 48 hours of purchase. It’s currently open to citizens of Egypt, Jordan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Mexico, and it removes the need to apply for the eVisa as a separate step, since it’s issued automatically as part of the booking.
The resulting visa allows a single entry and is valid for three months from the start of travel. The visa fee itself runs about SAR 402 (roughly USD 107), covering issuance and mandatory insurance, but the package as a whole carries its own minimum spend: at least SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days, plus SAR 1,000 for each additional day.
Packages can run from 2 to 88 days and can’t be cancelled independently, since cancelling the travel package automatically cancels the linked visa too. Package visa holders can still travel anywhere in the Kingdom after arrival, including Makkah and Madinah, even though the packages themselves don’t include Umrah-specific arrangements. The Ministry of Tourism has said more nationalities will be added in later phases.
Rules the eVisa Terms and Conditions Spell Out
Beyond the application steps, the portal’s own terms and conditions flag a few rules worth knowing before you travel:
- Once your 90-day stay allowance for a visit is used up, there’s no extension or renewal available until the eVisa’s one-year validity itself expires. You can still use the visa’s remaining validity for future entries, but not to extend the current stay.
- Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering Mecca and Madina’s two holy sites, regardless of visa type.
- Performing Umrah, praying at the Grand Mosque, or visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and Al Rawdah Al Sharifah requires a separate permit through the Nusuk platform, holding a valid eVisa alone doesn’t grant access, and you cannot enter without this permit.
Requirements Regardless of Which Visa You Apply For
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned entry date
- A recent digital passport photo with a plain white background
- Confirmed onward or return travel, in most cases
- A valid credit or debit card, since visa fees are generally non-refundable once submitted
- Applicants must be 18 or older; minors need a guardian’s application on their behalf
Traveling During Hajj and Umrah Season
Religious travel follows a separate set of rules from standard tourism. Umrah and Hajj visas are processed through Nusuk, the Kingdom’s official pilgrimage platform, and are tied to specific seasonal windows rather than the year-round eVisa system. Because Hajj and Umrah periods bring an enormous surge in travelers, Saudi authorities periodically apply temporary processing adjustments for certain visa categories during peak weeks. If your trip falls close to Hajj season, confirm current conditions through Nusuk or your nearest Saudi embassy before finalizing travel plans, since these seasonal measures can change from year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to visit Saudi Arabia?
It depends on your passport. GCC nationals don’t need any visa at all. Citizens of the 66 eligible countries can apply for the tourist eVisa or collect a visa on arrival. Everyone else, unless they hold a valid US, UK, or Schengen visa already in use, needs to apply through a Saudi embassy before traveling.
How long does it take to get a Saudi Arabia visa?
The tourist eVisa is typically processed within 24 hours of submission through the official portal. Visa on arrival is issued immediately at the airport counter. Work, student, and business visas usually take considerably longer, since they depend on sponsor documentation and, in the case of work visas, employer processing through Qiwa.
Can I convert a tourist eVisa into a work visa while inside Saudi Arabia?
No. The tourist eVisa is issued strictly for tourism, family visits, events, and individual Umrah. Anyone wanting to work in the Kingdom needs a separate employer-sponsored work visa arranged before entry, not a conversion from tourist status.
Is the Saudi Arabia visa fee the same for every nationality?
Yes, the government fee on the official portal is uniform across all 66 eligible nationalities, with no country-specific surcharges or discounts built into the standard eVisa pricing.
What happens if I overstay my Saudi Arabia visa?
Saudi authorities, including the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), have been reported to apply a tiered penalty structure for visit visa overstays: SAR 15,000 for a first offense, SAR 25,000 plus three months in jail for a second offense, and SAR 50,000 plus six months in jail and deportation for a third offense. The sponsor who issued the visa can also be held liable for the same fines. Saudi Arabia doesn’t publish a single official overstay tariff, so treat these figures as commonly cited estimates and confirm your exact situation through Absher or your nearest Saudi embassy if you’re approaching the end of your permitted stay.
Can I apply for a Saudi visa if I’m not eligible for the eVisa list?
Yes, but not through the online portal. You’ll need to apply directly through a Saudi embassy or consulate in your country, which typically involves submitting physical documents and may take considerably longer than the digital process.
Note: For the most current visa fees, eligible countries, and application steps, always apply directly through the official Visit Saudi eVisa portal. For religious travel, use the official Nusuk pilgrimage platform.
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