The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia mostly was closed off to the rest of the world in the past. The only foreigners who were able to successful acquire a Saudi Arabia visa tended to be Muslim pilgrims, business travelers and foreign workers along with their family members. But, now Saudi Arabia has started providing the e visa Saudi Arabia to foreigners via an online procedure. The eVisa initiative began to help increase tourism as well as allow the country to focus on another revenue sources apart from oil.
Key points:
- Nationals of only some countries can apply for the Saudi Arabia eVisa
- Those who are not in the list need to apply at the Saudi Arabian embassy in their country
- Those who are from the UK, US, and EU can apply for the Visa on Arrival
What is Saudi eVisa?
International visitors from more than 45 countries are able to apply for the eVisa to discover what the Saudi people have to provide. This includes a rich heritage, vibrant culture, as well as diverse along with wonderful landscapes. There are the mountains of Abha, beaches of the Red Sea, the shifting sands of the Empty Quarter amongst other stuff that tourists can enjoy here. With the help of the eVisa, they will be able to enter the country for a certain number of days. 90 Days Dubai Tourist visa
Saudi Arabia issues visas for tourism, business, family visit, studying, work or employment, transit, as well as Hajj or Umrah. The Tourist Visa is given to foreigners that can enter the country for tourism reasons. The tourist visa can be gotten online. Citizens of certain countries are able to get it on arrival.
Who can get a Saudi Arabia eVisa?
As said above, passport holders of more than 45 countries are able to enter the country via the online process. Those who are not exempt from the visa requirements and eligible for the eVisa will need to apply for the Saudi Arabian visa. This will be at an Embassy or Consulate. This is why you should find out if the country whose passport you hold is eligible for the Saudi eVisa.
Apart from the nationality requirements, one needs to have the following:
- Be at least 18 years of age (minors need to travel with an adult)
- Have a valid email address
- Passport should be valid for a minimum of six months
- It is necessary to enter the country with the same passport that you used to apply for the visa
How to apply for the visa
When it comes to the Saudi Arabia visa application, the process will depend upon your nationality. You will apply online or can get it on arrival. The nationals of some countries will not be able to apply online for the visa and have to visit an Embassy or Consulate of Saudi Arabia within their country to get it. These people will not be eligible for the eVisa.
Those who are eligible for the eVisa need to apply via the official tourism website of Saudi Arabia. It is simple to apply for the eVisa. You need to do the following:
- Go to the eVisa application website and click on the “Apply Now” button
- Fill in the Saudi Arabia visa application form that will be present
- Pay the Saudi eVisa fee
- It takes around 30 minutes for the eVisa to get processed, you need to wait for this
- When you get the eVisa, you may print this out and employ it to enter the country inside 90 days
When you arrive at the Saudi Arabia airport, the Immigration here will check the visa prior to letting you go into the country. It is important to keep in mind that other non-official websites are present which process the eVisa for Saudi Arabia. There are some that are legitimate whilst others are not. Therefore you have to be careful at the time of submitting the application. Those who apply through one of these may have to pay an extra service fee that will be on top of the eVisa fee. 48 hours transit visa
Documents for the Saudi Arabia eVisa
When applying for the online visa, you will not have to upload documents. You only need to provide the right passport details and answer some security-connected questions. It is important that you answer these questions honestly as you will be screened. If there is any false details, you will not be allowed to enter the country.
How long is the visa valid for?
The eVisa will be valid for a year and lets one have multiple entries into the country. It is possible to stay for a maximum of 90 days for each entry. You cannot stay more than 180 day per year.
eVisa for GCC countries
It is possible for GCC residents to apply for the e visa Saudi via the online portal. UK, US as well as EU residents may apply for the Visa on Arrival. The GCC residents include those from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar as well as the UAE. Those who are from the GCC countries may get the eVisa and remain in the country for a maximum of 3 months.
GCC residents need to upload a personal photo that has a white background. You will have to register and make an account. It is necessary to activate this account. Read the terms and conditions then pay the stated amount. You will need to enter your personal and passport details, contact and residential information, etc. The visa will be valid for three months and lets one enter the country one time for a maximum of one month.
The multiple-entry eVisa will be valid for a year. Each period of stay in the country can be for a maximum of three months.
Now that you know how to apply for the tourist visa Saudi Arabia you should follow the rules if you do not want to face any complications. You should find out if your country is present in the list of the countries that are eligible for the eVisa in the first place. If your country is not on the list, you will have to visit the Saudi Arabian embassy in your country to apply for the visa. Follow all the visa rules carefully because the country takes these seriously. You can check out voyageplantravel.com for help.
