Saudi Visa Application: Required Documents and Important Notes
Apply for an e-visa on the official visitsaudi website.
I. Documents required: the bio page of your passport, a 200×200 pixel photo (size <100kb with a white background), and one personal information form (stating marital status, current residential address and occupation). Electronic copies of all the above documents are sufficient.
II. Points to note:
1. Find out which type of visa you need to visit Saudi Arabia, then apply for the e-visa immediately.
2. Register an account on the e-visa portal.
3. Once you have logged in, applications can be submitted either as an individual or as a group; this guide covers the individual option.
4. Fill in your details. Note in particular that the field for father’s name or middle name should be left blank. In English the field is called middle name, which most Chinese travellers do not have, so the Chinese interface label father’s name is easily misleading.
5. Medical insurance is selected by default and is compulsory.
6. Once payment succeeds the visa is issued, very quickly.
7. Children’s e-visas should be applied for only after the adult application has been approved, as they must be linked to a guardian.
III. Frequently asked questions:
1. A tourist visa allows 90 days within a calendar year and permits multiple entries.
2. A business visa allows a stay of 90 days per visit; once it expires you may leave the country and re-enter for another 90 days, up to a maximum of 180 days a year.
3. The passport must be valid for at least six months.
4. If the name on the visa is wrong, the visa has to be cancelled and a fresh application submitted, although there have been cases of travellers entering after explaining the situation directly to officers; anyone with limited language skills should take particular care.
5. Medical insurance is already included when you apply for the visa.
6. Transit visas work differently and are issued according to the airline.
7. A visa on arrival can be obtained on arrival in Saudi Arabia; every entry point should have a visa on arrival counter.
8. Entering Saudi Arabia by car is eligible for a visa on arrival.
9. For the contact telephone number, any Saudi contact you can find will do, including the address.