Citizens of more than 60 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan and most of Europe, can apply online for a Saudi tourist eVisa at the official portal, visa.visitsaudi.com. The visa is normally valid for one year with multiple entries and allows stays of up to 90 days per visit. The fee includes mandatory medical insurance and is shown on the portal before you pay, and many applications are processed within days.
This guide explains who qualifies, the other routes for travellers whose country is not on the list, how to apply step by step and the rules that catch people out. Visa policy in Saudi Arabia has changed several times since tourism opened in 2019, so treat every figure here as correct as of late 2026 and check the official portal before you apply. For a summary of other destinations, see our visa hub.
Who qualifies for the Saudi tourist eVisa
The eVisa is open to passport holders from a published list of eligible countries. The list has more than 60 countries and grows from time to time. The list covers the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, all European Union states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Kazakhstan and a number of other European and Asian countries.
Because additions happen without much notice, the only reliable check is the nationality drop-down on the official portal. If your country appears there, you can apply online.
Other eligible groups
Some travellers can use the eVisa or a visa on arrival even if their nationality is not on the main list. Saudi Arabia has offered this to people who hold:
- A valid residence permit from a Gulf Cooperation Council country (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman).
- A valid tourist or business visa for the United States, the United Kingdom or the Schengen area, provided it has been used at least once to enter the issuing country.
- Permanent residency in the United States, the United Kingdom or an EU country.
- First-degree relatives travelling with a holder in one of these groups.
These conditions have been adjusted before, so confirm the current rule on the portal for your exact situation.
Applying as a GCC resident
Expatriates living in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman can apply online through the same portal. Eligibility conditions, such as the minimum validity left on the residence permit and how family members are added, are set out on the portal, so read them for your case. If your residence card is close to expiry, renew it before you apply, because the portal checks the date against the permit you upload.
GCC citizens
Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries do not need a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia and can enter with a national ID card.
If your country is not eligible
Travellers who do not qualify for the eVisa can apply for a tourist visa through a Saudi embassy or consulate, usually via an approved visa service centre or travel agent. This takes longer and needs more documents, such as proof of accommodation and return travel.
Key facts at a glance
As of late 2026, the Saudi tourist eVisa from visa.visitsaudi.com is usually valid for one year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days per visit. It costs the visa fee plus mandatory medical insurance, and processing often takes from a few minutes to a few days.
| Item | Detail (as of late 2026) |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | visa.visitsaudi.com, or visa on arrival for eligible nationalities |
| Validity | Usually one year from issue |
| Entries | Multiple |
| Maximum stay | Up to 90 days per visit |
| Cost | Visa fee plus mandatory medical insurance; check the current total on the portal |
| Processing | Often within minutes to a few days |
| Allowed activities | Tourism, visiting family and friends, events, Umrah outside Hajj season |
How to apply step by step
Apply on the official portal, visa.visitsaudi.com: create and verify an account, choose your nationality and the tourist visa, enter your passport details exactly as printed, upload a photo, answer the health and security questions, and pay the fee with the bundled insurance. Avoid look-alike sites that add service fees.
- Go to the official portal at visa.visitsaudi.com. Avoid look-alike sites that charge an extra service fee.
- Create an account with your email address and verify it.
- Choose your nationality and the tourist visa type.
- Enter your passport details exactly as printed, along with your contact address and travel plans.
- Upload a recent passport-style photo and a scan of your passport photo page if requested.
- Answer the health and security questions.
- Pay the visa fee and insurance by card.
- Wait for the approval email, then download and print the visa PDF.
Editor's Note: A spelling mismatch between your passport and your application can cause problems at the airport. Check every letter of your name and your passport number before paying.
Documents you need
- Passport valid for at least six months from the date you enter Saudi Arabia.
- A digital passport photo with a plain background.
- A working email address and a credit or debit card.
- An address in Saudi Arabia, such as your first hotel.
- Your residence permit or US/UK/Schengen visa if you are applying under those categories.
A sensible application timeline
Start about three to four weeks before departure. Book refundable or changeable flights and a hotel with free cancellation first, so you have a Saudi address to enter on the form. Apply once those are in place, which leaves time to correct a mistake or reapply if something goes wrong.
Approval for eligible nationalities often arrives within a day, but a quick answer is not guaranteed, and holidays such as Ramadan and the Hajj period bring heavier demand. When the approval email arrives, open the PDF and compare the name, passport number and date of birth with your passport. Then lock in non-refundable bookings. If you plan Umrah, check permit availability in the Nusuk app at this stage too, since a visa alone does not give you a prayer or Umrah slot.
A week before travel, check that your passport still has six months left from your entry date, save the visa PDF offline and print two copies. Keep the insurance certificate that comes with the visa, because a clinic or hospital will ask for the policy number if you need treatment.
Visa on arrival
Nationals of eligible countries can also get a tourist visa on arrival at Saudi international airports, and holders of a used US, UK or Schengen visa have also been able to get one regardless of nationality. Check the portal for the current list of arrival points. It covers the same rights as the eVisa. Applying online beforehand is still the safer choice: you know the outcome before you fly, and airline check-in staff sometimes ask to see a visa before boarding.
Transit and stopover visa
Saudi Arabia launched a stopover visa of up to 96 hours for travellers flying through the kingdom with Saudia or flynas, requested while booking the flight. Fees and terms have changed since launch, so check the airline's current conditions before relying on it. This route suits people who want a short look at Riyadh or Jeddah on the way somewhere else. Compare routes on our flights page.
What the tourist visa allows and does not allow
The Saudi tourist visa allows sightseeing, leisure, family visits, events, short courses that are not formal study, and Umrah outside the Hajj season with a Nusuk permit. It does not allow work, study for a qualification or Hajj, which needs its own visa and permits.
Allowed
The tourist visa covers sightseeing, leisure, visits to family and friends, attending events and short courses that are not formal study. Holders can perform Umrah outside the Hajj season, subject to booking permits through the official Nusuk app.
Not allowed
You cannot work, study for a qualification or perform Hajj on a tourist visa. Hajj requires its own visa and permits. Overstaying leads to fines and can affect future applications, so track your days carefully if you make several trips.
Umrah restrictions
In the weeks before and during Hajj, tourist visa holders are usually barred from Mecca, and Umrah permits are paused. Dates move each year with the Islamic calendar, so check before booking a spring or early-summer trip that includes Mecca.
Medical insurance
The eVisa fee bundles a mandatory medical insurance policy from an approved Saudi provider. It covers emergency treatment in the kingdom. Coverage is limited, so many travellers add their own travel insurance for cancellations, lost luggage and medical evacuation.
Common Saudi visa application mistakes
Most Saudi visa problems come from unofficial look-alike websites, passports with less than six months' validity, non-refundable flights booked before approval, and the assumption that every nationality qualifies. Remember too that the 90-day limit applies to each visit.
- Using an unofficial website that looks like the government portal and adds fees.
- Applying on a passport with less than six months validity.
- Booking non-refundable flights before the visa is approved.
- Assuming every nationality qualifies because a friend's did.
- Forgetting that the 90-day limit applies to each visit, so long trips need careful date tracking.
Travelling once you have the visa
On arrival, carry printed copies of your visa and hotel booking; immigration takes fingerprints and a photo, and many airports have e-gates or kiosks for eVisa holders. In the country, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, remember that alcohol is banned, and expect stricter rules on public eating during Ramadan.
Arriving at the airport
Carry a printed copy of your visa and your hotel booking. Immigration usually takes fingerprints and a photo. Many airports now have e-gates or fast kiosks for eVisa holders.
Rules for visitors
Dress modestly in public, with shoulders and knees covered. Women visitors are not required to wear an abaya or cover their hair. Alcohol is banned for the general public. Public behaviour during Ramadan is stricter, with eating and drinking in public during daylight hours discouraged.
Where to go first
Most first-time visitors combine Riyadh with Jeddah's old district and the desert heritage of AlUla. Read our Saudi Arabia guide to plan the route, look for rooms on our hotel page and see organised trips on tours. The visa also makes it easy to add a nearby stop such as Jordan, Dubai or Qatar, though each of those countries has its own entry rules.
Getting there
Three gateways handle almost all arrivals. King Khalid International Airport serves Riyadh and suits travellers heading for the capital, Diriyah and the Najd interior. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is the usual entry for the Red Sea coast, for Umrah pilgrims and for anyone planning to continue to Mecca or Medina. Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina handles a large share of pilgrim traffic and some international routes. AlUla has its own airport with a smaller schedule, so many travellers reach it on a domestic flight from Riyadh or Jeddah.
The visa you hold does not change which airport you can use. An eVisa is valid at any international entry point, including land borders with neighbouring countries, though the portal is the place to check which crossings accept the visa at any given time. If you plan to drive in from Jordan, the UAE or Bahrain, confirm the crossing and the insurance needed for your car before you set off, because these details are handled at the border and not on the visa form.
Airline staff at your departure airport check documents before boarding, and they work from their own database of entry rules. Keep the visa PDF and your return or onward ticket ready at check-in. A traveller who arrives at the desk with an approval email but no downloadable visa can lose time while staff verify it.
Getting around after you arrive
Riyadh has a six-line metro, fully open since 5 January 2025, and its Yellow Line links King Khalid International Airport with the city. The Haramain high-speed railway serves the west of the country, and domestic flights, taxis and car hire cover the longer distances.
Riyadh Metro
Riyadh now has a full metro network. The Blue, Yellow and Purple lines opened to passengers on 1 December 2024, the Red and Green lines followed on 15 December 2024, and the Orange Line began running on 5 January 2025. The Blue Line runs north to south along Olaya Street through the business district, and the Yellow Line connects King Khalid International Airport to the city. Tickets are sold through the Darb app published by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, at station ticket windows and at vending machines.
At launch, a two-hour pass in the standard cabin cost SAR 4, with longer passes for three days, seven days and thirty days, and a separate first-class tier at higher prices. Fares can change, so check the Darb app for the current price before you buy. A three-day or seven-day pass makes sense for a visitor who plans several sightseeing trips across the city in a short stay.
Haramain high-speed railway
The Haramain line links Mecca and Medina with stops at Al-Sulimaniyah in Jeddah, Jeddah Airport and King Abdullah Economic City. Trains run at up to 300 km/h. The ride from Mecca to the Al-Sulimaniyah station in Jeddah takes about 43 minutes, and the full Mecca to Medina run takes around two hours. Tickets are booked on the operator's website or app, where the current classes, fares and rules for children are shown.
Non-Muslim visitors can ride the line between Jeddah, the airport and King Abdullah Economic City. Mecca station sits inside the area that only Muslims may enter, so plan any trip to Mecca around that rule.
Domestic flights, taxis and car hire
Saudi Arabia is large, and distances between the main sights are long. Riyadh and Jeddah sit on opposite sides of the country, a long day apart by road, so most visitors fly between the two cities on Saudia, flynas or flyadeal. Within cities, ride-hailing apps are the simplest way to move, and app fares are shown before you confirm a trip. Car hire suits the desert and coastal areas around AlUla, Taif and the Asir highlands, where public transport is thin. Rental companies set their own rules on which foreign licences they accept, and some ask for an International Driving Permit, so ask the company before you book. Speed cameras are common on highways, and fines are issued automatically.
Where to stay by area
In Riyadh, the Olaya and King Fahd Road corridor holds most of the large international hotels and sits on the Blue Line of the metro, which makes it practical for a first visit. The northern districts near the King Abdullah Financial District suit business travellers. Diriyah, on the north-western edge of the city, is the place to stay if the old mud-brick district of At-Turaif is the main reason for your trip.
In Jeddah, the Corniche along the Red Sea gives sea views and evening walks, while hotels near Al-Balad put you within walking distance of the coral-stone houses of the historic district. Al-Balad is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah. Pilgrims usually stay as close to the Grand Mosque in Mecca or the Prophet's Mosque in Medina as their budget allows, since prices rise sharply the shorter the walk to the mosque. In AlUla, accommodation ranges from desert camps to resorts spread across the valley, and rooms sell out in the cooler months, so book early for a winter trip.
Whatever you book, use the first night's address on the visa form and keep the confirmation with your documents. Search rooms on our hotel page.
Best time to visit
The cooler months from November to March are the main season for most of the country. Daytime temperatures in Riyadh and AlUla are comfortable for walking, and desert nights can get cold enough to need a jacket. From June to September, daytime heat in Riyadh is extreme, and Jeddah adds high humidity on the coast. The Asir region around Abha sits at altitude and stays milder in summer, which is why domestic tourists head there in July and August.
Religious dates change the picture as well. Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year, and in 2027 it is expected to begin in early February. During the month, restaurants open late, many shops change their hours and the cities come alive after sunset. Hotel prices in Mecca and Medina peak in the last ten nights of Ramadan and in the Hajj period. The Riyadh Season and the AlUla events calendar fill hotels in their respective areas, so check event dates before you fix a trip.
Money and practical costs
The currency is the Saudi riyal, written SAR, and it is pegged to the US dollar at 3.75 riyals to the dollar. Cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere in the cities, including taxis booked by app, cafes and supermarkets. Carry some cash for small shops, rural petrol stations and souq stalls. A value added tax of 15 percent applies to most goods and services, and hotel bills often show it as a separate line along with a municipality fee.
The visa fee and insurance change from time to time and the figures quoted on agency websites disagree, so rely on the total shown on visa.visitsaudi.com at the payment step as of November 2026. Budget separately for each family member, because every traveller pays the full amount.
Etiquette that helps on the ground
Saudi Arabia has relaxed several rules for visitors since 2019, but local customs still shape daily life. Shops and some government offices may close briefly at prayer times, so plan errands around them and expect a short wait if you arrive just as a shop shuts. Photographing people without asking, especially women, causes offence, and government buildings and military sites must not be photographed at all. Public displays of affection are frowned upon.
Greet people with the right hand and use it to pass or receive things. If you are invited to a home, accept the Arabic coffee and dates offered, and shake the small cup gently from side to side when you have had enough. Many restaurants have family sections and singles sections, though the separation has eased in recent years. In mosques open to visitors, both men and women should wear long sleeves and long trousers or skirts, and women should cover their hair.
Drugs carry very severe penalties, and some prescription medicines that are legal elsewhere are controlled in Saudi Arabia. If you take regular medication, carry the prescription and a doctor's letter in English, and check with the Saudi embassy in your country if the drug contains narcotic or psychotropic ingredients.
Special cases
Every traveller, including babies, needs their own Saudi visa and fee, usually applied for under a parent's account. Dual nationals must apply with the passport they will enter on, and renewed passports and refused applications each have their own steps, covered below.
Children and families
Every traveller needs their own visa, including babies and children. Parents usually apply for each child under their own account on the portal, entering the child's passport details and photo separately. Each application carries its own fee and insurance charge, so budget for the whole family.
Dual nationals
Apply with the passport you will actually use to enter Saudi Arabia, and travel on that same passport. If only one of your nationalities is eligible, use that one throughout, including when you check in for your flight.
Passport renewed after approval
A visa is linked to the passport number used in the application. If you renew your passport before travelling, the old visa will not transfer automatically, and in most cases you will need to apply again with the new document.
Refused applications
Refusals are uncommon for eligible nationalities, but they happen, and the portal does not always give a reason. Check that your details and photo were correct. If you cannot resolve it online, contact the nearest Saudi embassy or consulate for guidance. Avoid any agency that promises guaranteed approval.
Looking ahead to 2027
Saudi Arabia is preparing for major events, including Expo 2030 in Riyadh and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and it has widened visa access in steps. Rules can change ahead of those events, so check the portal a few weeks before you travel, apply once your dates are firm, and keep a copy of the approval on your phone and on paper.
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