Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is expanding its tourism accessibility by offering visitor visas to travelers from six new countries: Türkiye, Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, and Mauritius. These visas are available for various purposes, including leisure, business, and religious travel (Umrah). Travelers from these nations can apply for Saudi visitor visas through the official e-visa portal at visa.visitsaudi.com.
The Saudi visitor e-visa is designed to enhance the tourism experience, with a strong emphasis on the traditional Saudi hospitality, known as Hafawah. This e-visa is valid for a full year, allowing multiple entries and permitting stays of up to 90 days. Additionally, Visit Saudi offers an online trip planner to assist visitors in creating custom itineraries.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers a diverse range of attractions, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Red Sea snorkeling and diving, Taif's Rose Gardens, Riyadh's Deira Souq, the lush Asir region, and a vibrant culinary scene encompassing both local and international cuisine.
Since the launch of the visitor e-visa in 2019, Saudi Arabia has significantly eased access for tourists and experienced remarkable tourism growth. The demand to visit Saudi Arabia continues to rise, with the introduction of various visa initiatives. The list of eligible countries has expanded from 49 to 63 since the visitor visa program was initiated.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia extended its regulations to provide visitor e-visas to individuals holding valid Schengen, United Kingdom, and United States of America visas that were used to enter those countries before visiting Saudi Arabia. Permanent residents of EU and GCC countries, as well as the United Kingdom and the United States of America, are also eligible.
Furthermore, earlier this year, Saudi Arabia introduced the free 96-hour Stopover Visa, allowing travelers to spend up to 96 hours in the country. This visa is suitable for exploration and religious purposes, such as Umrah, and can be obtained by passengers flying with SAUDIA and Flynas after registering for Umrah through the Nusuk platform.
