How easy is it to get a Visa Approval for Saudi Arabia?

Have you found yourself wondering how easy it is to get visa approval for Saudi Arabia? It used to be that Visa Approval for Saudi was difficult to get and could take a while to process. In this article, we want to answer the main questions you might have about how easy it is to get approval for a visa to visit or work in Saudi.

 

Types of Visas for Saudi Arabia

If you are looking to work in Saudi or even to visit as a tourist you will need a visa before you can enter the country. Saudi, like most countries, have its own visa rules for who they will allow in and for what purpose. It could be that you want to move to Saudi for work, to visit family or even to set up your own business in the area.

If you are looking to visit Saudi in 2022 there are 4 types of visas available:

• Employment visas
• Business visit visas
• Family visit or residence visas
• Tourist e-visa

You will have to choose the relevant visa application, depending on the reason for your visit.

 

But how easy is it to get a Visa?

The Visa process for Saudi Arabia used to be really difficult. The previous visa rules stated that in order to go to Saudi it needed to be for business reasons alone, you couldn’t visit as a tourist. Not only that you had to have an invitation from someone in Saudi (another business etc ) before you could even apply for the visa. This then had to be approved by the Ministry of Interior and then there were several other steps to take in the UK before your Visa could even be approved. That process could be fairly frustrating and time-consuming, it used to take 1-2 weeks and if you were looking to go to Saudi for business that happened last minute then it was unlikely your visa would be approved in time and it would be really stressful.

Now in 2022, the visa process for Saudi is so much easier, it is all online and the last time I needed to apply for my visa it took 4 minutes! Not only that but you can now get tourist visas which previously you could never get before!

 

Getting a Work Visa for Saudi

To get your work visa for Saudi, you will first need your offer of employment and then once you have your contract and visa block number through you can start the Visa application process. You then need to get any qualifications (academic and professional) legalised by the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and then have attested by the Saudi Cultural Bureau.

You then need to start collecting documentary evidence for your visa including your passport, which will need at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages, and an ACRO police certificate, if you had a previous Saudi employer you can provide a letter of recommendation from them and any education and professional certificate. A full list of what you need can be found on the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia website. Once your visa is processed and you are in Saudi you can apply for a residency permit.

 

Saudi Business Visa

Applying for a Saudi Business Visa will allow you to make short visits to Saudi for business purposes, you can get a visa for either a 3-month single trip or a 6-month multi-entry trip visa. With the 6-month multi-trip option you can stay for up to 30 days on each visit. The Saudi government will let you know whether you can get a 3-month single trip visa or a 6 months multi trip visa.

This visa is for people who want to attend work meetings or training in Saudi but not live and run their business there permanently.

To get this visa you will need to provide the following documentation (again for a full list of documentation see the official Saudi website)

• Saudi Arabia Visa Application Form
• Invitation Letter from the MOFA Chamber of Commerce
• Passport

It can take around 3 – 5 working days to process this type of visa.

 

Applying for a Family Visit Visa for Saudi

If you have family living in Saudi that you want to visit then you can apply for a family visit visa.

This normally takes around 3 days to process and you will need the following documents:

• Saudi Arabia Visa Application Form
• Invitation Letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Passport alongside a passport size photography

 

Getting a Tourist e-Visa

If you want to visit Saudi as a tourist then you will need a passport and a Saudi tourist e-visa. The Tourist e-visa is valid for 12 months and allows you to spend up to 90 days in the country. To apply for the Saudi e-visa all you have to do is go to the visit Saudi website and follow the 3 simple steps.

Here are the steps:

1. Fill in the application
2. Pay the visa fee
3. Get your online visa

 

How much does a Saudi e-Visa cost?

The cost of a Saudi Arabia e-visa is 535 SAR which is around £118. You pay the fee online after you have filled in your visa application. The whole process for an e-visa is incredibly easy and quick as the Saudi Government are looking to make visiting Saudi Arabia much easier for tourists to visit and explore. Hopefully, this article has helped answer your main questions on getting a visa for Saudi Arabia.

If you would like to learn more about visiting Saudi then when not check out some of my other blog posts on the subject

Visiting Saudi Arabia As A Woman

Saudi For Tourists

Life and Work In Saudi

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