RIYADH – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has unveiled an expansion of its electronic visitor visa to include nationals from six additional countries, bringing the total count to 63.
The new countries covered are Turkiye, Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, and Mauritius and citizens from these nations can apply for the tourist visa online or obtain it upon arrival at any of the Kingdom’s international airports.
The visa allows for tourism, Umrah visits outside of the Hajj season, attending events, exhibitions, conferences, and visiting friends and relatives.
The visa grants multiple entries, remains valid for a full year, and permits stays of up to 90 days in visible facilitation for the flyers introduced by the Saudi authorities.
The Kingdom welcomes the world by expanding and streamlining the E-visa issuance to six new countries, allowing for electronic issuance or at Kingdom entry points, to provide an unforgettable travel experience. pic.twitter.com/SBdUI6yULI
— وزارة السياحة (@Saudi_MT) October 17, 2023
The authorities have warned that visitors must leave the kingdom before the specified duration of stay stated on the visitor visa and a visitor visa does not permit performing Umrah during the Hajj season.
It is to be highlighted that a visitor e-visa is also granted to holders of valid Schengen, UK and US visas that have been used to enter those countries before arriving in Saudi Arabia, and to permanent residents of EU and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the UK and the US.
Saudi Arabia is fast transforming its visa regulations in a bid to attract tourists as part of its Vision 2030 which entails increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP and creating a million job opportunities.
The figures also portray a favorable picture as in 2022, the holy Kingdom recorded 94 million visits, a remarkable 93 percent surge from the previous year, resulting in a tourism expenditure of SR185 billion ($49 billion).
The authorities in Saudi Arabia expect 100 million visits by 2030 and raise the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to 10 percent. For this year, the kingdom also managed to receive over 2 million Hajj pilgrims which was the first time after the Covid-19 that the country welcomed pilgrims in such large numbers.
Previously, the facility of e-visa was granted to Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
