Visa to Saudi Arabia for Russian citizens: requirements for 2021

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is the official name of this state, is known throughout the world as the largest oil exporter. Life in Saudi Arabia is subject to Islamic law. The country is officially theocratic, that is, subordinate to the authority of religion.

You can quickly obtain an electronic visa within 1 hour at the trusted Online Visa Center, which has been operating on the market for more than 7 years. Telephone.

Most of this Arab state is occupied by mountainous deserts, which are of little interest to tourists. You can get a visa in 2021 for Russians and Ukrainians electronically; the passport is stamped upon arrival at the airport.

Rules for entering Saudi Arabia in 2021

In September 2021, Saudi Arabia decided to open another type of visa (tourist). It will be available to citizens of 49 countries. Citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan can obtain an e-visa from CIS countries.

A list of all countries that can obtain a visa online can be read on the official website https://visa.visitsaudi.com/

Visas that can be obtained in 2021 are:

tourist;
transit;
educational (student);
workers;
business visas;
guest, only for those who have relatives in the country.

To obtain the above types of visas, you should contact the embassy or consulate of this republic, in addition to obtaining an electronic visa (e-Visa on arrival). The application is submitted online and a visa will be stamped in your passport at the airport upon arrival.

To apply, you will need to apply for a visa and undergo an interview. It is worth preparing for the fact that a diplomatic representative will ask leading questions regarding the purpose of the trip.

The country's embassy reserves the right to refuse to issue a visa, without explaining the reasons for such refusal.

Anyone traveling to Saudi Arabia is required to comply with rules regarding dress and behavior, as well as the importation of certain items, particularly images.

Watch the video: changes in the Saudi Arabia visa regime in 2021.

Do Russians need a visa to Saudi Arabia in 2021?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a rather complicated state in terms of visas.

Russian citizens will need to obtain a visa to travel to an exotic country in any case, regardless of the purpose of the trip.

Until March 2021, the Saudi Arabian diplomatic mission did not issue tourist visas. It was possible to come to the country only as a guest, businessman, worker, invited by a local resident or organization. From April 2021, visas began to be issued for groups of tourists wishing to see the sights of Saudi Arabia. In September 2021, Saudi Arabia went even further - it began issuing tourist visas on arrival for citizens of a number of countries, including the Russian Federation.

Liberalization of the visa regime also affected the requirements for traveling women. Previously, women were prohibited from entering unless accompanied by a male relative. At the moment, women over 30 years of age are allowed to visit the country without a husband or relative.

Riyadh Airport, Saudi Arabia

Tourist e-Visa on Arrival from 27 September 2021

Saudi Arabia's desire to increase the tourist flow led to the fact that Russians and Ukrainians began to be issued electronic tourist visas in the fall of 2021.

You can fill out the application yourself on the official website https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/. Select Apply For eVisa.

Valid term of a visa

The visa is multiple-entry and is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

The period of each visit will not have to exceed 90 days , and during the year you will be able to stay in Saudi Arabia for no more than 180 days. You can obtain such a visa electronically by filling out the appropriate documents and paying a visa fee.

The visa corridor is 1 year; you can enter the country within 12 months from the date of receipt of the visa.

Validity period of the passport

The passport must be valid for at least 6 months to obtain a visa and enter Saudi Arabia.

Required documents

To open various non-tourist visas to Saudi Arabia, the embassy provides a standard package of papers:

International passport. A copy of the first page should be attached to it.
Questionnaire. The application form can be downloaded from the website here.
Two photos of the established sample. Size 40 by 60 millimeters.
Invitation letter from the host party.

Table: additional papers required depending on the type of visa being issued

Visa type	Additional papers and requirements for them
Educational	The passport must be valid not for the first 6 months from the date of filing the application, but for a year. Document from a university in Saudi Arabia. The paper must indicate that the foreign national is enrolled in training. Certificate. Certificate confirming the fact of birth of the applicant. A certificate confirming no criminal record. A medical certificate confirming that the applicant is not sick with HIV, hepatitis A, B and C, meningitis, encephalitis and other infectious diseases.
State	Document from the place of employment. The document must contain the following information: Position held. Type of activity of the enterprise. The date the applicant joined the workforce. Salary amount, purpose of trip to Saudi Arabia.
a commercial	Certificate from the place of employment. Registration card of the inviting enterprise.
Family visa	Documents of the host person: Identification. Registration. Documents confirming relationship.

Filling out an application on the website

In order to fill out the form, you need to register a personal account on the official website.

The application must be completed electronically in English. You can return to filling out the application at any time. There is a “save” option on the site. Access to the questionnaire in your personal account.

personal information

The following information is required:

address (at place of registration);
profession;
country and city of birth;
Date of Birth;
family status;
gender identity;
FULL NAME;
nationality;
photo (size – from 3 to 1.0 kilobytes, resolution – 200/200 px).

Passport and travel details

At this stage, the application is assigned a number.

Basic data:

address in the country of entry (you must enter the address of the hotel or hotel);
purpose of the visit (tourism, visiting family/friends, attending an event);
foreign passport details.

Medical insurance

Theoretically, you can choose one option from 6 policyholders. The cost of the policy is the same everywhere. But Arabian Shield is selected by default.

The insurance policy is issued simultaneously with obtaining a visa. Without his choice, a visa will not be given.

Terms and Conditions

At this stage, you need to read the long text and agree to all the terms.

The most important provisions:

Adhere to ethical standards accepted in the country.
Do not use the tourist pass for other purposes (this visa is not suitable for Hajj and work).
Do not import substances that alter consciousness (alcohol, drugs, some medications).

You will need to pay a visa fee. The total amount including all bank fees will be approximately 464 Saudi reals (180 US dollars).

Within 1 hour after payment, a completed visa will be sent to your email.

Watch the video: filling out the application form for a visa to Saudi Arabia.

Cost of visas

The cost of an e-Visa to enter Saudi Arabia in 2021 is SAR 440 or $177. The consular fee for a visa also includes payment for medical insurance for tourists, paid electronically.

Saudi Arabia has introduced exit visas from the country. To leave this Arab state you will have to pay 200 reais or 53 US dollars.

But do not confuse entry fees with visa fees. These are different concepts. Initially, a person must pay a consular and visa fee to open a visa, and then at the border an additional $533 is paid.

The amount of the consular fee directly depends on the type of visa being opened:

To obtain a single-entry commercial visa, you will need to pay $180. If you need to apply for a reusable one, you will have to pay $300.
A single entry visa to visit organizations costs $55, multiple permits cost $140.
Opening a family visa will cost $180.
Visas for employment and permanent residence in Saudi Arabia cost $15.
There is no consular fee for obtaining a state or study visa.
A tourist e-visa will cost Russian citizens approximately $177.

Receiving a stamp in your passport upon arrival at the airport

Upon arrival at the airport, you need to show a printed visa, which was sent by email. After this, your passport will be stamped allowing you to enter Saudi Arabia.

How much does a visa to Saudi Arabia cost?

A tourist visa on arrival costs 440 reals, it is paid by card.

The cost of the consular fee for a single-entry commercial, family, work visa is $350, multiple entry for 1 or 2 years is $500.

The applicant must prepare in advance the amount to pay the visa fee in American dollars and without change.

There is no fee for study, work or pilgrimage visas.

The VC service fee, regardless of the type of visa requested, is $55.

In case of refusal, the applicant will be refunded the amount of the visa fee, but not the service fee.

Applying for a visa through the Visa Application Center Online

The Saudi Arabia e-Visa through the Online Visa Application Center can be obtained online within 1-3 days.

Go to the visa center website onlinevc.ru.
Start filling out the form, this can be done around the clock.
Attach the necessary documents to the application form via a special form on the website.
Pay for the visa. This can be done by bank card, transfer or cash.
1 hour after payment you will receive a completed visa.

If you want to submit documents in person, please contact the Online Visa Application Center office:

Address: Moscow, Malaya Lubyanka Street, building 16, office 1;
Telephone for communication;
Opening hours: weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00.

Applying for visas at the embassy or visa center

If the purpose of your trip is not tourism or the duration of your stay exceeds 180 days, you will have to apply for a visa at the embassy or visa center. It is most convenient to submit documents through a visa center, but you will have to pay extra for intermediary services.

The consular fee will be $56 per person. It does not matter where the application is submitted: at the embassy or visa center. However, when applying for a visa through a VC, you must also pay a visa fee for intermediary services. It is now $65 per person. All fees are paid in Russian rubles.

To submit an application, you must prepare a set of documents. Their complete list must be clarified individually at the embassy or visa center. There you can also obtain a visa application form for Saudi Arabia. Documents are accepted until noon.

Do I need a visa for a transit stop?

A visa permit is not required if a person plans to visit Saudi Arabia in transit.

But it is worth considering the following nuances:

Permission is not required if the time interval between flight connections is no more than 18 hours.
If the transfer lasts less than 6 hours, the foreigner is prohibited from leaving the transit area at the airport.
If the transfer lasts longer than 6 hours, then you can leave the transit zone only with the permission of an airport employee. But it is worth remembering that if a foreign representative is defiantly dressed or has an unacceptable appearance for the Islamic religion, he will not be released.

But even if you are allowed to leave the transfer area, your passport will remain with the official at the airport. Instead, you will be given a receipt, which upon return will need to be exchanged for a document again.

So many visa-free travelers prefer to spend time without leaving the airport terminal.

Transit visa

A transit visa is required if you plan to stay in the KSA for one to three days. Citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will find it easier to apply for a tourist visa online.

Citizens of Belarus, Armenia, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia will have to visit the country's embassy.

To process your visa application, which usually takes about 5 days, you will need to present the following documents:

A foreign passport valid for more than six months after the visit ends;
A questionnaire, where, among other things, there is a point about religion, and you cannot skip it;
Visa to the country of destination;
All tickets or documents for the car;
Two color photographs;
Receipt of payment of the consular fee.

For women there are additional requirements, namely a marriage certificate or a document proving relationship with the accompanying man. Otherwise, a visa, even a transit one, will not be issued.

Obtaining any other visas, except for accompanying a husband, is practically impossible for women.

Family visa type

Here the main document is either a marriage certificate or a birth certificate that has undergone the legalization procedure at the SA embassy. In addition, you will also need an invitation from relatives. For such a permit you will have to pay 56 US dollars.

For a child visa, you need the child's birth certificate and parental consent. If a minor is accompanied by a father or mother, then the latter is not at all necessary, provided that there is no current ban on leaving the Russian Federation.

Visas for religious pilgrims

Believers who perform the holy Hajj, that is, pilgrimage, can receive a special group visa. The organization of such tours is carried out by special religious associations that exist in many countries of the world.

Russians who profess Islam can also exercise their right to visit the main Muslim shrines located in Saudi Arabia. Education in Saudi Arabia has also become popular recently.

In order to gain access to organizing pilgrimage tours, the organization must be recognized by the BCA and meet all the requirements. Hajj is not a cheap event, but Muslims are willing to go to such expense to fulfill their religious duty and visit the two shrines of the Islamic world: Mecca and Medina.

It is much easier for Russians to obtain a visa as part of a group of pilgrims than in any other case.

Types of visas to visit Saudi Arabia

Not every citizen of the Russian Federation can count on receiving permission to enter the country. The authorities are in no hurry to develop sectors of the economy such as tourism. And there is not even such a thing as a “tourist visa” here. If you can come to Saudi Arabia in order to get acquainted with its culture and history, then only as part of a group, which will certainly be accompanied by one of the local operators.

One of the most frequently issued visas by the embassy is work visa. To obtain it, you must obtain a work permit. It is issued by one of the departments of Saudi Arabia that has the appropriate authority to do so. Consultation can be obtained from the consular service at the embassy.

Quite a lot of foreigners work in the state. Mostly, they occupy jobs in the service sector, but there are also highly qualified employees.

A citizen traveling to Saudi Arabia to conduct business negotiations or represent someone’s interests in the state receives a commercial visa.

If a citizen travels to reunite with his family, he receives a family visa. And to visit the country for the purpose of tourism as part of a group, you should first contact a travel agency in Saudi Arabia, which will be able to organize the trip: provide a guide, control the arrival and departure home. But obtaining permission is very difficult: the embassy will refuse the entire group if any of its members arouses suspicion.

Do pilgrims need a visa to Saudi Arabia? This question arises quite often, since the shrines of the Islamic world - Mecca and Medina - are located on the territory of the state. Only devout Muslims receive entry permission during certain periods, such as the Hajj.

Work and commercial visas

These are the types of visas that can be obtained relatively easily. But even here there is always a chance of being rejected. The basic package of documents remains the same, but depending on the goal, you will have to supplement it with some information.

Businessmen doing business with partners in Saudi Arabia will need to present an official invitation on behalf of the company.

It must be certified by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the relevant region or industry. But this is the case when contacts and connections have already been established.

If we are talking about business development, then you can contact the Chamber of Commerce and Industry directly. From there, in turn, you will receive a letter confirming the purpose of the visit, its importance and necessity, as well as the entrepreneur’s details. Such a document may be attached to the visa application.

It is not so difficult for foreigners to get a job in Saudi Arabia. The developing economy of this state needs specialists from various industries, not only oil, and therefore introduces simplified rules for obtaining a work visa.

Yes, you will need to obtain a work permit. But this can be done not only in a government agency, but also in an employment service or even a travel agency.

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To the received permission you will need to add:

Diploma or certificates of qualifications (certified and translated);
A medical certificate stating that the applicant is not a carrier of dangerous infections such as hepatitis, meningitis, AIDS, tick-borne encephalitis, etc.;
Driver's license, if necessary.

Providing a commercial visa

There are situations when you need to have a business conversation, influence the development of your business, or represent other people’s interests in Saudi Arabia; for this there is a commercial visa. To receive it, you must present an invitation issued to you by a commercial organization. The document must be endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The inviting organization must be registered and operate in the kingdom. As an alternative, the chamber of commerce and industry of the state where the applicant is located provides a letter containing the details of the entrepreneur and the purpose of his visit. This is possible in the absence of an invitation, when you need to go to Saudi Arabia to promote the development of your business.

The cost of the consular fee for such a permit is $56, for a multiple permit – $134.

Visa for children

To cross the border of Saudi Arabia, a child must also apply for a visa. This republic does not put forward any special requirements for child visas.

To obtain a child’s permit to enter this state, the child’s parents should contact the embassy and submit a package of papers:

Child's foreign passport. It is worth remembering that children under 14 years of age can be included in the parent’s passport. But they will be able to travel according to the entry in their passport only if the adult’s foreign passport was issued before March 1, 2010. In other cases, children must have a separate travel document.

But as practice shows, it is difficult for a child to travel to Saudi Arabia using a parent’s foreign passport. Therefore, to avoid problems, it is better to obtain your child’s own passport in advance .

There are certain requirements for a foreign passport:

Availability of two blank pages for the visa stamp.
The travel document must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of submission of the visa application.

Photocopies of pages of your internal passport or birth certificate.
Questionnaire. The application can be completed in English or Russian.
Photographs in the amount of 2 pieces.
Receipt confirming payment of the consular fee.

If the baby is traveling to Saudi Arabia accompanied by a third party, then an export permit from both parents will be required.

If a child goes on a trip with one parent, then permission from the second parent is necessary only if he is prohibited from leaving the country of actual residence.

Commercial visa

Provided to businessmen traveling to the kingdom for:

negotiations;
representing the interests of third parties;
development of business relations.

The main thing here is an invitation from a local business entity. Moreover, it will need to be certified by any chamber of commerce and industry in the country. The latter organization also sometimes, upon request, sends letters containing the data of the foreign entrepreneur and information about the purpose of the visit. Such a document can replace the previously mentioned invitation.

The consular fee varies between 56-134 US dollars.

Saudi Arabia has announced a preliminary date for opening borders to tourists

The authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expect to open borders to foreign tourists from May 17, 2021. The head of the Saudi Arabian Tourism Authority, Haytham Mattar, spoke about this during an online round table with tourism industry participants on March 4.

The specified date, according to him, is preliminary, however, at the moment, marketing projects and other activities in the Kingdom’s tourism industry are planned based on this date. In addition, the tourist e-visa program will in any case be resumed from the moment the borders open, Mr. Mattar emphasized.

“Currently, the country is discussing possible relaxations in the issuance of electronic tourist visas, and we, the Tourism Department, have made proposals, such as a temporary reduction in the cost of visas, or zeroing out the visa fee for certain categories of tourists. We believe that such a step will allow us to achieve rapid growth in tourist flow immediately after the opening of borders,” said Haytham Mattar.

The e-tourist visa program was launched in Saudi Arabia in September 2021, but had to be curtailed due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic less than six months later? in February 2021. But even during this period, about 450 thousand foreign citizens were able to obtain an electronic entry permit.

An electronic visa could be issued on a special portal. The cost of the visa was 440 Saudi riyals (approx. 117 US dollars), it included health insurance and gave the right to stay in the country for 30 days.

The round table participants recognized that such a step as reducing the visa fee could have a significant positive effect on the restoration of tourism in the region.

“Saudi Arabia has chosen the ideal moment to widely present its tourism product to the world,” said Dmitry Arutyunov, CEO of tour operator ART-TOUR, who organized a femme trip to the Kingdom shortly before the start of the pandemic. — The country’s tourism product is of great interest for educational and cultural tourism. In addition, the infrastructure for beach tourism is actively developing here, and Saudi Arabia has the longest beach line on the Red Sea.”

The speakers also acknowledged that the Kingdom had largely moved away from its image as an orthodox Muslim country with strict morals, and the more tourists come here, the less stereotypes about this place there will be in the world.

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Visa to Russia for citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In order to come to Russia to expand their business ties, a citizen of Saudi Arabia must obtain a business visa. He can do this only with a business invitation. A business invitation must be issued by a company registered in the Russian Federation that is interested in a foreign citizen coming to Russia.

Read more: Business visa to Russia for foreigners

Complete step-by-step instructions for obtaining a Russian visa in all languages

You can issue a business invitation in the following ways:

a letter from the organization;
FMS form;
Telex.

Only those organizations that are accredited by the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation or the Federal Migration Service can issue invitations in the form of letters Such letters contain a request from the organization’s management to authorized persons of the Russian embassy to issue a business visa to a certain foreigner.

In order to issue an invitation on a state-issued form , a representative of a company interested in the arrival of a foreigner must submit an application for a business invitation and a package of necessary documents (since Saudi Arabia is on the list of migration-risk countries, a letter of guarantee is also required). If the package of documents is incomplete or the foreign citizen violated the laws of the Russian Federation in his previous visits, then the issuance of a business invitation for him will be refused. If a business invitation is issued, the inviting party must send it to the foreign citizen by express mail.

When issuing a business invitation in the form of Telex, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia receives an order to issue a business visa to a certain person. In this case, the inviting party must communicate only a series of numbers to the Saudi Arabian citizen by email or telephone.

Read more: How does Telex differ from an original invitation?

After receiving an invitation to Russia, a foreign citizen must contact the Russian consulate or embassy, submit a completed visa application form and a package of documents. If the embassy does not reject the package of documents for any reason, the business visa will be issued for the period specified in the invitation. The maximum validity period of a business visa is 1 year . A business visa can be single-entry, double-entry or multiple-entry.