Jordan
Jordan is a Middle Eastern kingdom known for the ancient Nabataean city of Petra (UNESCO World Heritage Site and New Seven Wonders of the World), Dead Sea, Wadi Rum desert, and rich historical heritage. Amman, the capital, is a modern city built on seven hills with Roman ruins at its center. Jordan is one of the most stable and safe countries in the Middle East, welcoming tourists. Visitors are drawn to Petra's Treasury and ancient carved city, Dead Sea (lowest point on Earth at 430m below sea level), Wadi Rum desert landscapes (Lawrence of Arabia filming location), Jerash Roman ruins, Amman's citadel and Roman amphitheater, Aqaba Red Sea diving, Dana Biosphere Reserve hiking, Desert Castles, and Bedouin culture. Jordan offers ancient history, dramatic landscapes, and Middle Eastern hospitality with relatively easy travel logistics.
Visa Requirements for Jordan
Jordan offers visa on arrival for most nationalities at Queen Alia International Airport (Amman) and other entry points for JOD 40 (~$56 USD). However, the best option for tourists is the Jordan Pass, which costs JOD 70-80 depending on package, includes visa waiver (free visa if staying 3+ nights), Petra entry (worth JOD 50-55 alone), and 40+ other attractions. The Jordan Pass must be purchased online through the official Jordan Pass site before arrival. Without Jordan Pass, Petra entry alone costs JOD 50 (1 day) to JOD 55 (2 days), making the pass excellent value. Citizens of some countries can obtain free visas in advance through Jordanian embassies. Border crossings from Israel and the West Bank follow different rules from the airports: the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing in particular does not issue visas on arrival, so travellers entering that way need a visa arranged in advance. Jordan's visa system is straightforward, and the Jordan Pass streamlines entry while saving money for most tourists.
Visa types
Best option for tourists - includes visa waiver and Petra entry plus 40+ attractions.
Guides
Jordan is one of the most rewarding countries in the Middle East for travellers: compact enough to combine dramatically different landscapes and historical periods in a single trip, stable enough to visit without specialist planning, and home to sites of world-class importance at every stop. Petra — the Nabataean city carved directly into rose-red sandstone cliffs, capital of a trading empire that once controlled the frankincense and spice routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean — is one of the genuine wonders of the ancient world, and arriving through the Siq (the narrow canyon gorge leading to the Treasury) is one of travel's great first moments. But Jordan is far more than Petra: Jerash contains the best-preserved Roman provincial city outside Italy; the Dead Sea at 430 metres below sea level is the lowest point on Earth, with water so salinated that swimming is impossible but floating effortless; Wadi Rum's vast Martian landscape of red sand and sandstone towers was both Lawrence of Arabia's campaign base and the backdrop for dozens of films; Aqaba on the Red Sea has some of the richest coral reefs in the world at accessible depths; and the Dana Biosphere Reserve offers canyon hiking through one of the region's most intact ecosystems. Amman, the capital, is a pleasant modern Arab city built on seven hills, with an excellent Citadel and Roman Theatre at its centre and a café culture that makes it a comfortable base. Jordan is one of the easiest and safest countries in the region for independent travel.
Jordan travel guide →
The full guide — Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Dana and the corridor-not-loop plan.
Money in Jordan →
A strong dinar, cards at the main sites and the Jordan Pass call — the practical money guide.
Eating in Jordan →
Mansaf as ritual before recipe, Bedouin cooking beyond the capital and how the food changes by region.
Getting around Jordan →
No trains — the Desert Highway versus the King's Highway, and getting between the four main bases.
Health & safety in Jordan →
A safe country with two genuine caveats — heat and sun as the real risk, plus dress, tap water and getting help.
Embassies & missions
Frequently asked questions
Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival (JOD 40) at Queen Alia Airport and most entry points — but if you're staying three or more consecutive nights, the Jordan Pass waives the visa fee entirely and bundles Petra plus 40 other sites, so buy it online before you fly. One important exception: the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from the West Bank does not issue visas on arrival — arrange a visa in advance if entering there.
Almost always yes — the arithmetic is decisive: the pass costs JOD 70-80 depending on how many Petra days you choose, while the visa alone is JOD 40 and Petra entry JOD 50-55, so the pass pays for itself even if Petra is the only site you visit. It only fails the maths if you're staying under three nights (no visa waiver) or skipping Petra entirely — a rare itinerary.
One full day is the strict minimum; two are far better. The Treasury — the facade everyone knows — is only the first fifteen minutes: beyond it lie the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street and the Monastery, a 45-minute climb that rewards with a facade even larger than the Treasury. Start at opening time to beat both heat and crowds, wear proper walking shoes (a thorough visit covers up to 10 km), and consider the two-day pass tier.
Planning a trip to Jordan? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.