Saudi Arabia tourist visas

This item appears on page 4 of the November 2019 issue.

Travelers from 52 countries, including the US, Canada and UK, now can visit Saudi Arabia on tourist visas, introduced Sept. 27, 2019, for the first time. Evisas are available in one-month single-entry and one-year multiple-entry versions.

To apply for an evisa, visit visa.visitsaudi.com. A passport with at least six months of validity from the planned date of entry to Saudi Arabia and the address of your accommodation are required. (No proof of accommodation booking is required, only the address.) For citizens of the US, Canada and UK, visas can be obtained upon arrival at a visa kiosk at Immigration.

The cost for either a one-month or one-year visa is SAR440 (near $117). A tourist visa will not grant entry to the holy cities of Mecca or Medina, which remain off-limits to non-Muslims.