Saudi Arabia Visa Guide 2026: eVisa + Family Visit Visa (Complete Guide)

A Saudi Arabia visa is required for all visitors — the type depends on your nationality and purpose of visit. This Saudi Arabia visa guide covers both paths: the tourist eVisa for citizens of 50+ eligible countries, and the family visit visa for expat workers sponsoring relatives.

As an expat living in Saudi, I’ve helped dozens of visitors with both visa types. In this guide, you’ll find requirements, step-by-step applications, fees, processing times, and tips that actually work for each visa type.

For the latest official information, check the Saudi Tourism Authority website.

Types of Saudi Arabia Visas

Saudi Arabia offers several visa types, but this post covers the two most common for visitors:

Tourist eVisa

The tourist eVisa is an online visa for citizens of 50+ eligible countries. It’s designed for tourism, visiting friends/relatives, and Umrah (outside Hajj season).

Key features:

• Apply entirely online — no embassy visit
• Valid for 1 year, multiple entries
• Maximum 90 days per stay
• Processing: 5 minutes to 24 hours
• Cost: SAR 494 (~$132 USD)
• Medical insurance included

Important: The Philippines is NOT on the eVisa eligible countries list. Filipino citizens need a different visa type (see Family Visit Visa below).

Family Visit Visa

The family visit visa is for expat workers in Saudi Arabia who want to sponsor family members for a visit. This is the most common path for Filipino expats bringing family to Saudi.

Key features:

• Sponsored by the expat worker (you)
• For immediate family members only
• Valid for 90 days (single or multiple entry)
• Processing: 3-7 business days
• Cost: SAR 300-500 depending on type
• Applied through ksavisa.sa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Who Can Apply for Each Visa Type?

Tourist eVisa – Eligible Countries

The tourist eVisa is available to citizens of 50+ countries including:

• United States, United Kingdom, Canada
• Most EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.)
• Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea
• Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei
• And many more

Note: The Philippines, India, Indonesia, and some other countries are NOT eligible for the tourist eVisa. Citizens of these countries need to apply for a family visit visa through a sponsor.

Check the full list on the official eVisa portal.

Family Visit Visa — Sponsor Requirements

To sponsor a family visit visa, you (the sponsor) must:

• Be a valid iqama (residence permit) holder in Saudi Arabia
• Have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining
• Be employed (not a dependent)
• Have a minimum salary (varies by visa type — typically SAR 5,000+)
• Provide proof of relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate)

Eligible family members:

• Spouse
• Children (under 18, or unmarried daughters of any age)
• Parents
• In-laws (in some cases)

Saudi Tourist eVisa (For Eligible Countries)

If you’re from an eligible country, this section is for you. If you’re a Filipino expat sponsoring family, skip to the Family Visit Visa section.

Tourist eVisa Requirements

• Valid passport (6+ months from travel date)
• Email address
• Credit/debit card for payment
• Passport-size photo (white background, 4x6cm)
• No prior Saudi visa rejections

Step-by-Step Tourist eVisa Application

Step 1: Go to visa.visitsaudi.com

Step 2: Create an account with your email

Step 3: Select “Tourist Visa” and your nationality

Step 4: Fill in personal details (must match passport exactly)

Step 5: Upload passport scan and photo

Step 6: Review all details

Step 7: Pay SAR 494 via credit/debit card

Step 8: Wait for approval (minutes to 24 hours)

Step 9: Download and print your visa

Tourist eVisa Fee Breakdown

Saudi Family Visit Visa (For Expat Workers)

This is the section for Filipino expats (and other nationalities) who want to sponsor family members to visit Saudi Arabia.

Family Visit Visa Requirements

As the sponsor (you):

• Valid iqama (residence permit)
• Valid passport (6+ months)
• Employment letter or proof of income
• Proof of relationship (marriage/birth certificate — attested)
• Saudi mobile number

For the visitor:

• Valid passport (6+ months)
• Passport-size photo (white background)
• No prior Saudi visa rejections

Step-by-Step Family Visit Visa Application

Step 1: Go to ksavisa.sa — the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal

Step 2: Log in with your Absher account (the same account used for government services)

Step 3: Select “Family Visit Visa” from the visa services menu

Step 4: Choose the family member type (spouse, child, parent, etc.)

Step 5: Fill in the visitor’s personal details

Step 6: Upload required documents:

• Visitor’s passport copy
• Your iqama copy
• Proof of relationship (attested)
• Passport-size photo of visitor

Step 7: Pay the visa fee (SAR 300-500 depending on single/multiple entry)

Step 8: Wait for approval (3-7 business days)

Step 9: Once approved, the visitor can travel with the printed visa

[Screenshots for each step]

Family Visit Visa Fee Breakdown

Sponsor Responsibilities

As the sponsor, you are responsible for:

• Ensuring your visitor complies with Saudi laws
• Providing accommodation during their visit
• Ensuring they leave before the visa expires
• Reporting to authorities if they overstay (you may face penalties)

Tip from experience: Always make sure your iqama is valid for at least 3 months beyond the visa duration. If your iqama expires while your family is in Saudi, it creates serious problems.

What to Expect at Saudi Immigration

Whether arriving on a tourist eVisa or family visit visa, the immigration process is similar.

The Arrival Process

1. Head to the visa-on-arrival/eVisa counter (not the regular immigration line)
2. Present passport + printed visa
3. Officer may ask questions (see below)
4. Biometrics — fingerprint and photo
5. Passport stamped, and you’re through

Common Questions from Immigration Officers

• “Where are you staying?” — Have hotel address or sponsor’s address ready
• “Who are you visiting?” — Know your friend’s/sponsor’s name and number
• “When is your return flight?” — Know the date (have ticket handy)
• “How much cash are you carrying?” (rare, but sometimes asked)

Tips for a Smooth Immigration Experience

• Dress modestly (not required, but makes a good impression)
• Have hotel booking or sponsor’s address printed
• Keep return flight ticket easily accessible
• Be polite and patient — officers are professional
• The whole process takes 5-15 minutes

For the latest entry requirements, check with the Saudi Embassy in your country before travel.

Tips from an Expat Who’s Helped Dozens of Visitors

After helping family and friends apply for Saudi visas, here’s the advice I wish someone had given me:

1. Apply Early — Even Though Processing Is Fast

Don’t rely on same-day approval. Apply at least 2-3 weeks before travel. Processing is usually quick, but delays happen.

2. Document Quality Matters

Blurry passport scans and poor-quality photos are the #1 cause of delays. Use a proper scanner or a scanning app like CamScanner. Photos must be white background, no glasses.

3. Attest Your Relationship Certificates

For family visit visas, your marriage certificate or birth certificate must be:

• Issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
• Authenticated by the DFA
• Attested by the Saudi Embassy in Manila

Start this process early — it can take 1-2 weeks.

4. Check Your Iqama Validity

Your iqama must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the visa duration. If it’s expiring soon, renew it before applying.

5. Print Everything

Print the visa, your iqama copy, relationship certificates, and return ticket. Don’t rely on your phone — immigration officers may ask for physical copies.

6. Keep Your Sponsor’s Contact Handy

For family visit visas, the visitor should have the sponsor’s (your) Saudi mobile number memorized. Officers sometimes call to verify.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Wrong passport number — Triple-check before submitting
2. Poor quality documents — Blurry scans cause delays
3. Unattested certificates — Relationship proofs must be DFA-authenticated and Saudi Embassy-attested
4. Expired iqama — Sponsor’s iqama must be valid
5. Applying too close to travel date — Give 2-3 weeks buffer
6. Not printing the visa — Always print physical copies
7. Using third-party agents for eVisa — Official site is cheaper and faster

What to Do After Getting Your Visa

Once the visa is approved, here’s the checklist:

• [ ] Download and print the visa (2 copies)
• [ ] Save digital copy on phone
• [ ] Book flights to Saudi Arabia
• [ ] Arrange accommodation (hotel or sponsor’s address)
• [ ] Prepare return flight ticket
• [ ] Pack according to Saudi customs rules
• [ ] Bring printed copies of all documents

Ready to explore Saudi Arabia? Check out our comprehensive destination guides:

• AlUla Travel Guide — Ancient ruins and desert landscapes
• Riyadh Travel Guide — Modern capital city
• Jeddah Travel Guide — Coastal city
• NEOM Travel Guide — Futuristic mega-project

For a complete overview, see our Saudi Arabia Tourism Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions