Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia opened to international tourism for the first time in modern history in September 2019, and is developing at a pace unlike anywhere else in the Middle East — from AlUla's Nabataean tombs at Hegra to the Red Sea's emerging dive resorts and the Vision 2030 mega-projects reshaping the country's economy. Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, are reserved for Muslims only. Despite rapid social change since 2018 (women driving, cinemas, public entertainment), Saudi Arabia remains a conservative Islamic society with strict laws governing dress, behaviour and religious practice, and travellers should understand these before visiting. The tourism e-visa covers a broad list of eligible nationalities, plus anyone holding a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, valid for one year with multiple stays of up to 90 days; passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry.
Saudi Arabia Visa & E-Visa System
Saudi Arabia's tourism e-visa, launched in 2019, is open to citizens of a broad and expanding list of eligible countries — including the US, UK, EU nations, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Singapore — plus anyone holding a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, or permanent residence in the US, EU or UK. The e-visa includes mandatory medical insurance, is valid for one year with multiple entries, and allows stays of up to 90 days per visit (180 days total per year) — check current pricing. Apply online at visa.visitsaudi.com, with processing typically taking minutes to hours; a visa on arrival is also available at major airports for the same eligible travellers. Passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry. Hajj and Umrah visas are separate categories managed through authorised travel agents and Saudi embassies rather than the tourism e-visa system, though Umrah itself can be performed year-round on the tourism e-visa with an online permit. Work visas require employer sponsorship. Citizens of GCC countries (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) enter visa-free. Travellers with Israeli passport stamps may face entry issues, though policy has been relaxed in some cases — check current guidance. Alcohol is completely prohibited — do not attempt to bring any into the country. Dress codes, gender-interaction norms and behavioural expectations are strictly enforced.
Visa types
For tourism, leisure, visiting attractions, attending events and visiting friends/family. Available to citizens of the eligible-country list. Apply online at visa.visitsaudi.com — processing typically minutes to hours. Includes mandatory medical insurance. Also available as visa on arrival at major airports.
Guides
Saudi Arabia is one of the world's newest tourism destinations — and one of its most surprising. AlUla in the northwest is the headline: Hegra (UNESCO), the southern capital of the Nabatean kingdom that built Petra, features over 100 monumental tombs carved into sandstone outcrops in the desert — less visited and arguably better preserved than Jordan's Petra. The AlUla landscape itself — elephant rock formations, palm-filled canyons, ancient inscriptions from Dadanite and Lihyanite civilisations — is extraordinary. The Red Sea coast between Jeddah and NEOM has pristine coral reefs, sea turtle nesting grounds and developing resort infrastructure (the Red Sea Project aims to become a world-class diving and luxury destination). The Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali) — the largest continuous sand desert on earth — offers dune landscapes of staggering scale. Jeddah's Al-Balad historic district (UNESCO) is a labyrinth of coral-stone merchant houses with intricately carved wooden balconies (rawasheen). The Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) near Riyadh is a dramatic escarpment overlooking an endless plateau. Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state, is being transformed into a cultural quarter. And the Vision 2030 mega-projects are reshaping the country: NEOM (a planned city larger than Belgium), Qiddiya (entertainment and sports city near Riyadh), and The Line (a 170 km linear city in NEOM). Saudi cuisine — kabsa (spiced rice with meat), jareesh, mutabbaq, dates and Arabic coffee — is a discovery in itself.
Saudi Arabia travel guide →
The full guide — Hegra's tombs, the Empty Quarter, the Najdi table and the climate-chasing plan.
Money in Saudi Arabia →
Riyals on the dollar peg, cards almost everywhere and the no-alcohol budget — the practical money guide.
Eating in Saudi Arabia →
Qahwa and dates as the hospitality ritual, kabsa's shared platter, the Najdi interior's own table and what changes on the coast.
Getting around Saudi Arabia →
Domestic flights as the real backbone, the Riyadh-Dammam railway, the landbridge as it exists and self-driving distances.
Health & safety in Saudi Arabia →
Heat and hydration as the everyday risk, road reality, water and healthcare, and the Yemen border stated plainly.
Cities & planning
Regions
Embassies & missions
Europe · 17
Americas · 11
Asia · 9
Oceania · 2
Africa · 1
Frequently asked questions
Citizens of the eligible-country list can apply online. In addition, anyone holding a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, or permanent residence in the US, EU or UK, qualifies for the e-visa and for a visa on arrival at major airports. GCC nationals enter visa-free.
Yes. Muslim visitors can perform Umrah year-round on the tourism e-visa; an Umrah permit, applied for online, is still required. Hajj is separate and needs its own permit.
Muslim visitors can perform Umrah on the tourism e-visa. The Umrah permit and, in Medina, a permit to visit the Rawdah inside the Prophet's Mosque are applied for online. Hajj needs a separate permit and only takes place during the Hajj season.
Planning a trip to Saudi Arabia? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.