Saudi Visa on Arrival: Who Qualifies in 2026

Can you get a Saudi visa on arrival?

Yes, but only if you fall into one of a few specific groups. Saudi Arabia does issue visas at the airport, and it is a genuine option for many travellers. It is not, however, a general entry route that anyone can use, and the difference between qualifying and not qualifying is the difference between a smooth arrival and being refused at check-in before you ever board.

The confusion online is considerable. Most pages covering this topic contradict each other on the fee, on which airlines you can fly, and on which airports issue it. Where the facts are genuinely unsettled, we say so on this page rather than guessing, because a wrong answer here costs you a flight.

Who qualifies for a visa on arrival?

There are two separate routes, and they work differently.

The first is nationality. Citizens of the 66 countries eligible for the Saudi tourist eVisa can obtain a visa on arrival. That list covers the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China including Hong Kong and Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa and every EU and Schengen state, among others.

The second is a substitute route for visa holders. If your nationality is not on that list, you may still qualify if you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa. The important condition, reported consistently across sources since the policy was introduced in January 2020, is that the visa must be a tourist or business visa and must already have been used at least once to enter the country that issued it. An unused visa in your passport does not satisfy this.

Residents of Gulf states have a third option that works differently again, based on residency rather than passport, which we cover in our guide for GCC residents.

What changed for UK travellers in July 2026?

This is the newest development and most websites have not caught up with it.

On 25 June 2026 the Saudi Press Agency announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had launched an Electronic Travel Authorization for UK citizens, effective Wednesday 1 July 2026 and applying to all UK passport types. In the announcement’s own words, the authorization “allows UK citizens to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under an electronic travel authorization with multiple entries and to stay for up to 180 days, either consecutively or across multiple visits within one year.”

The stated purposes are tourism, short-term study and business. It does not apply to work visas, residence visas or Hajj.

One point deserves care. The government announcement does not mention Umrah among the permitted purposes, while UK Foreign Office guidance indicates the authorization does cover Umrah outside the Hajj season. Two official sources therefore differ. If Umrah is your reason for travelling, confirm your route before booking rather than relying on either reading.

Which nationalities cannot use it?

If your passport is not on the 66-country list and you hold no valid, used US, UK or Schengen visa, visa on arrival is not open to you. That includes several of the largest travelling populations in the world. Nationals of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Egypt, the Philippines and Nigeria do not appear on the eligible list.

That does not mean you cannot visit. It means your route is different. Many travellers from these countries qualify through a valid US, UK or Schengen visa, or through Gulf residency, and everyone else applies through the nearest Saudi embassy or consulate. The practical step is to establish which route applies to you before you book flights, not afterwards.

What does a visa on arrival cost?

We are not going to quote you a figure, and here is why.

Search this question and you will find at least three different amounts stated confidently across different websites, with none of them citing an official source. A page that picks one of those numbers and presents it as fact is guessing on your behalf about money you are about to spend.

What we can tell you is what the payment covers in principle, which is the government visa fee plus the travel insurance element required as part of the visa. For the current amount, check the official Saudi portal at the time you travel, or ask us and we will confirm what applies to your situation.

Can you perform Umrah on a visa on arrival?

Yes, outside the Hajj season. The official Saudi eVisa portal states that the visa covers “tourism-related activities such as, events, family and relatives visits, leisure, and Umrah (excluding Hajj).”

Two practical points follow. Hajj always requires its own dedicated visa, and Umrah is restricted during the Hajj period itself. Our guide to performing Umrah on a Saudi tourist visa covers the timing and the seasonal restrictions properly

Is it safer to apply online before you travel?

In most cases, yes, and this is the honest answer even though visa on arrival exists.

Applying online settles your entry before you leave home. You know your visa is approved, you have the PDF in your inbox, and there is no queue at the airport at the end of a long flight. More importantly, you remove the risk of a disagreement at the check-in desk about whether you qualify.

That risk is real. Sources genuinely conflict on whether the substitute route for US, UK and Schengen visa holders requires you to fly with a Saudi carrier such as Saudia or flynas, or whether any airline is acceptable. We could not resolve that against an official source, and we are not prepared to tell you it does not matter when the consequence of being wrong is being denied boarding. If you intend to rely on visa on arrival, confirm the position with your airline before you book.

If you would rather have it settled in advance, you can apply for your Saudi eVisa online and track your application while it is processed. Our tourist visa requirements guide lists everything you need.

What if you are only transiting?

If you are passing through Saudi Arabia rather than visiting it, there is a separate arrangement worth knowing about. Saudi Arabia offers a free stopover transit visa, issued with your ticket when you fly with Saudia or flynas. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement, it carries three months of validity, allows a stay of four days, and permits Umrah and a visit to the Prophet’s Mosque as well as tourism.

It is free, it comes through the airline’s own booking system, and no agency is needed to obtain it. If you are flying a different carrier, staying longer than four days, or travelling without an onward ticket, that route will not be open to you and a tourist visa is the appropriate option instead.