Saudi Arabia Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Saudi Arabia.
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Guide
Saudi Arabia's tourist eVisa is a one year, multiple entry visa that lets you spend up to 90 days in the country in total, and the only official place to apply is visa.visitsaudi.com, which guides say usually processes within about three business days. Reporting describes it as valid at all international airports, the King Fahd Causeway, and listed land crossings from the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. The warning that comes with it is sensible: confirm that your specific visa permits the exact land crossing you plan to use, and do not assume an eVisa guarantees admission at every one.
Citizens of the other GCC states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE, need no visa and can enter with a national ID card. Everyone else deals with the visa system above.
The land border with Qatar is a recent lesson in how quickly these things change. The Salwa crossing, the only one linking the two countries, was closed on 19 December 2017 and reopened in January 2021 after an agreement between the two governments.
Border crossings
- Al Batha and Ghuwaifat, the only UAE crossing
Al Batha on the Saudi side, Ghuwaifat in western Abu Dhabi, and it is the sole land crossing between the two countries, handling the vast majority of overland traffic. It is described as open 24 hours a day. The UAE guide on this site covers the Emirati end.
- Durra and Al Haditha, into Jordan
Al Haditha is one of fourteen Saudi land border ports and connects with Jordan alongside Halat Ammar and Durra. Durra sits in southern Jordan, 349 km from Amman, and Jordan's tourism board lists it as open around the clock with visas available at the border on its side.
- Salwa, for Qatar
A land port on the eastern border and the only crossing between the kingdom and Qatar. It has been through a full closure and reopening, so check for current status and arrangements before relying on it.
- The King Fahd Causeway, to Bahrain
One of the most popular crossings, and open around the clock. Its official site has shown live crossing times in both directions, so you can look before you go.
Transit routes
- Check the crossing, not just the visa
The eVisa is reported to work at listed land crossings, but guides advise travelers by land to confirm their specific visa permits the crossing in question before setting out, since a wrong assumption is expensive at a remote border.
- Look up the causeway queue before you drive
Crossing times vary by hour and by day, and the causeway operator publishes live figures, which is the only reliable way to decide when to set off.
Entry point notes
- Visa on arrival exists, but the eVisa is the safer plan
Guides describe a visa on arrival issued at international airports or authorized land borders, generally as a one year multiple entry visa with the same 90 day maximum, and Wikipedia records that residents of the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union countries were allowed to apply for visas on arrival from September 2022. Arranging the eVisa in advance removes the uncertainty.
- Dozens of nationalities qualify
Wikipedia counts 49 or more countries, including all EU member states, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United States, while some travel sites put the current figure higher. Check the official list for your own passport.
- GCC citizens have freedom of movement
A national ID card is enough, which is why land crossings with the neighboring Gulf states are so busy with ordinary, everyday traffic.