DUBAI – Thousands of Saudi citizens end up in Dubai for leisure and fun due to the entertainment that it offers but there are also tons of people from the emirate who want to go to the Saudi Arabia for religious and other reasons.
For weekend getaways, Emiratis can easily go to the Oil-rich kingdom and explore the opportunities that the kingdom is offering as part of its Vision 2030.
Let’s explore the options available to people for traveling from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Saudi Arabia.
Do UAE residents need visa to visit Saudi Arabia?
As per standard rules, the Saudi government permits citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including the UAE to enter without a visa and use National ID cards for entry but those who are simply based in UAE and are of different countries, do require a visa in this regard.
Saudi visit visa for UAE residents
Foreign residents of the UAE can apply for a Saudi visa on the Visit Saudi online portal for e-visa which can be utilized for tourism and Umrah, regardless of profession. Saudi Arabia offers different types of visit visas depending on the purpose of the visit.
As far as the validity of Saudi visit visa for UAE residents is concerned, the single-entry visit visa is valid for three months from the date of issuance, and holders can stay for 30 days in the kingdom.
On the other hand, the multiple-entry visit visa is valid for one year from the date of issuance, and the permissible period of stay is 90 days.
Tourist visa
The Saudi Tourist Visa (Saudi e-Visa) is an entry authorization document which permits foreign nationals to enter Saudi Arabia for non-essential and non-religious purposes.
The Saudi Tourist Visa is a one-year, multiple-entry electronic visa and permits tourists to live up to 90 days in the kingdom. This visa can be used for tourism-related activities. The biggest advantage of this visa is that one can perform Umrah (excluding the Hajj season) under this category.
Business visa
The announcement of Vision 2030 under the command of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman is attracting businessmen from across the world. If you are also exploring new opportunities and want to visit Saudi Arabia for business purposes, including attending meetings, conferences or other events, you need a business visa. This can be a single or multiple entry visa.
Family visit visa
The Family Visit Visa is granted to the immediate family members of the legal residents or citizens of Saudi Arabia who are now residing outside so that they can visit their families in the Kingdom.
A Family Visit Visa can only be issued to immediate family members such as parents, children, Father-in-law and mother-in-law, Husband or wife, Brothers or Sisters and their families (wives/husbands and their children), Wego reported.
Umrah visa
An Umrah Visa is an official document to facilitate Muslims wishing to perform the religious ritual and to visit two of Islam’s holiest sites.
Two kinds of Umrah visas may be available to you depending on your country of origin, namely the Umrah Visa and the Umrah e-visa.
Personal visit visa
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced a new entry visa named the Personal Visit Visa which allows foreign nationals to enter the country via an invitation from their Saudi friends or acquaintances.
Through this visa, holders can visit the country as well as Last Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and other religious sites. They are also allowed to perform Umrah and take part in cultural events.
The visa fee for single entry or multiple entries up to 6 month is £130.
