Saudi Arabia Expands E-visa Accessibility to Include Nationals of Three More Countries

A general view of the Saudi capital Riyadh. (AP)

Saudi Arabia has broadened its electronic visa (E-visa) accessibility to include citizens from three new countries: Barbados, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Grenada. The citizens of these countries now have the flexibility to apply for their visas online or acquire them upon arrival at Saudi entry points. This expansion increases the total number of eligible countries to 66.
The initiative is a significant part of the Ministry of Tourism’s strategic endeavours to enhance the Kingdom’s global connectivity, stimulate economic diversification, and achieve the ambitious goals outlined in Vision 2030’s tourism sector. These goals include increasing the tourism industry’s contribution to the GDP beyond 10% and creating one million jobs, SPA reported.
In addition to citizens from the newly included countries, the tourist visa has been extended to seven additional categories. These categories include residents of the US, the UK, and the EU, as well as visit visa holders from the US, UK, and the Schengen area. Furthermore, residents of GCC countries are eligible for the visa, facilitating various travel purposes such as tourism, Umrah pilgrimage, visiting family and friends, and participating in a range of events, exhibitions, and conferences. Saudi Arabia has also introduced transit visas for travellers on Saudia and flynas airlines, allowing a 96-hour stay in the Kingdom before continuing their journey.
The Ministry of Tourism introduced the visit visa in September 2019 as part of a broader initiative to showcase Saudi Arabia’s rich tourist offerings, engage visitors in cultural experiences and promote international interaction.
The E-visit visa system will be expanded in the future to include more countries and regions. This progression will go hand in hand with the continuous development and expansion of the Kingdom’s tourism sector infrastructure.