Saudi Arabia Opens Tourist Visas: Chinese Visitors Now Eligible for Visa on Arrival
Mysterious and fabulously wealthy, Saudi Arabia was once described as one of the hardest countries in the world to obtain a visa for. Now, all that has changed.This Friday, Saudi authorities announced that the Kingdom will open tourist visas on arrival and e-visas to 49 countries, with China (including Hong Kong and Macau) on the list of eligible countries.
This means that a country long seen from the outside as conservative, closed and mysterious can now be explored far more freely and conveniently — and travellers have a brand-new stop to add to their world map.
How to obtain a visa
- Visa on arrival: Saudi airports are equipped with dedicated visa-on-arrival kiosks, and the visa is issued within a few minutes;
- E-visa: go to the website www.visitsaudi.com and apply online.
- Issued at Saudi border entry points;
- Nationals of countries not on the list must obtain a visa through Saudi consulates in their region;
Airports where the visa on arrival is available: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh; King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
Fees
The visa costs around SAR 470 (approximately RMB 894), which includes: a SAR 300 visa fee, SAR 140 of insurance, and around SAR 30 in VAT and handling charges.
Visa validity and length of stay
The visa is valid for one year, allows multiple entries during that period and permits a single stay of up to three months. Applicants must, however, be at least 18 years old to apply for this visa.
Alongside the opening of the tourist visa, Saudi Arabia is also relaxing its dress requirements for female visitors. Women travellers will not be required to wear the full-length abaya that covers the whole body as local women do, but they are still expected to dress modestly (including on public beaches). Female travellers will also no longer be required to be accompanied by a male companion.
Non-Muslims, however, remain barred from the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and the ban on alcohol remains in force.
Sources for this article: BBC, Reuters