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How does one get a visa to go to Saudi Arabia?

Where is it difficult for me to go?How to independently visit Saudi Arabia?Why doesn't Saudi Arabia issue tourist visas?How cheap are the cheapest accommodations in Saudi Arabia?How much does it cost for a visitor visa to Saudi Arabia?Visit visa to Saudi ArabiaExit-Reentry for Saudi ArabiaPersonal visit visa to Saudi Arabia for French citizensItalian Schengen visa form session expiredRussia tourist visa denied & embassy refuses to give reasonSaudi Arabia Transit Visa

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21

I am not going for the Hajj or for the Jeddah Season Events.

I understand that there is no tourist visa for Saudi Arabia, but I have friends there to visit.

This website has a visa application form for "personal visit" but everything is in Arabic, even if you click on "English"!

Is there any way to do the application without the assistance of someone (or some translation device) that knows Arabic?

visas canadian-citizens saudi-arabia middle-east arabic-language

share|improve this question

edited Aug 6 at 5:38

user1271772

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Reading this Wikipedia article, it is not clear if they even issue tourist visas or not en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Saudi_Arabia
  
  – hojusaram
  Aug 2 at 2:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  13
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That is the Canadian embassy in Saudi Arabia, not the Saudi embassy in Canada. That is why it only has information for Saudi people to visit Canada. Try the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Canada web site instead.
  
  – Michael Hampton
  Aug 2 at 7:51
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  One of my friends from college befriended the son of a Saudi prominent (IIRC a Saudi prince) at college and was offered a visit to Saudi Arabia. Realistically, this is probably the best possibility for most people...
  
  – xuq01
  Aug 3 at 5:18
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JonathanReez: Each country has a different procedure for applying for visas. If we remove "Canadians" then the question becomes ambiguous, because the procedure for Canadians might be different from the procedure for Japanese. My question contained "However, the Canadian website for the Saudi Arabia embassy only contains information for Saudi people to visit Canada: canadainternational.gc.ca/saudi_arabia-arabie_saoudite/…". How can this be made more general?
  
  – user1271772
  Aug 6 at 5:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The Canadian part of the question was relevant as Canada is not on the list of countries who's citizens will (eventually) be issued tourist visas. Saudi consulates also do have very different procedures for applying for visas depending on the country, and based on the experience of my colleagues, applying in CA is even more difficult than applying in the US.
  
  – Doc
  Aug 6 at 6:03
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 9 more comments

21

I am not going for the Hajj or for the Jeddah Season Events.

I understand that there is no tourist visa for Saudi Arabia, but I have friends there to visit.

This website has a visa application form for "personal visit" but everything is in Arabic, even if you click on "English"!

Is there any way to do the application without the assistance of someone (or some translation device) that knows Arabic?

visas canadian-citizens saudi-arabia middle-east arabic-language

share|improve this question

edited Aug 6 at 5:38

user1271772

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Reading this Wikipedia article, it is not clear if they even issue tourist visas or not en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Saudi_Arabia
  
  – hojusaram
  Aug 2 at 2:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  13
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That is the Canadian embassy in Saudi Arabia, not the Saudi embassy in Canada. That is why it only has information for Saudi people to visit Canada. Try the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Canada web site instead.
  
  – Michael Hampton
  Aug 2 at 7:51
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  One of my friends from college befriended the son of a Saudi prominent (IIRC a Saudi prince) at college and was offered a visit to Saudi Arabia. Realistically, this is probably the best possibility for most people...
  
  – xuq01
  Aug 3 at 5:18
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JonathanReez: Each country has a different procedure for applying for visas. If we remove "Canadians" then the question becomes ambiguous, because the procedure for Canadians might be different from the procedure for Japanese. My question contained "However, the Canadian website for the Saudi Arabia embassy only contains information for Saudi people to visit Canada: canadainternational.gc.ca/saudi_arabia-arabie_saoudite/…". How can this be made more general?
  
  – user1271772
  Aug 6 at 5:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The Canadian part of the question was relevant as Canada is not on the list of countries who's citizens will (eventually) be issued tourist visas. Saudi consulates also do have very different procedures for applying for visas depending on the country, and based on the experience of my colleagues, applying in CA is even more difficult than applying in the US.
  
  – Doc
  Aug 6 at 6:03
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 9 more comments

I am not going for the Hajj or for the Jeddah Season Events.

I understand that there is no tourist visa for Saudi Arabia, but I have friends there to visit.

This website has a visa application form for "personal visit" but everything is in Arabic, even if you click on "English"!

Is there any way to do the application without the assistance of someone (or some translation device) that knows Arabic?

visas canadian-citizens saudi-arabia middle-east arabic-language

share|improve this question

edited Aug 6 at 5:38

user1271772

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited Aug 6 at 5:38

user1271772

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited Aug 6 at 5:38

user1271772

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

asked Aug 2 at 2:30

user1271772user1271772

57822 silver badges1717 bronze badges

1 Answer
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28

Realistically, you probably can't - at least, not at the moment.

Saudi Arabian visas are incredibly difficult to get. As you've said, there is no Tourist visa, and presumably you don't qualify for a Hajj visa (and even if you did, they only allow entry to specific areas and on specific dates - you can't travel within the country).

In general, the only visa a Canadian could get to access the country generally would be a business visa - but the chances of getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero. The paperwork required to justify your application is significant, as are the costs (my last Saudi visa cost over US$1600). All applications need to be done via an authorized agent, of which there are only a few - and as you've discovered several parts of the process need to be completed in Arabic.

The Saudi government stated in 2013 that they were going to start issuing tourist visas to citizens of select countries, however to date this has not started - with the latest estimates being by the end of 2019. However even if that occurs, Canada was not on the published list of countries that were to be included - although that could well change by the time they start issuing visas.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 2 at 6:00

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero" - of course, you could always come up with a business reason, such as wanting to visit a trade expo of some sort or wanting to meet with suppliers of something you might want to resell in your country. Plenty of hardcore travelers do that every year.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 2 at 22:31
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JonathanReez The bar set for such things is incredibly high. Despite working for a >100,000 person company with a globally household-known name, I had to get paperwork like a certificate of incorporation to prove that we existed. The requirements from the Saudi company that is inviting you is similar. I'm not saying it's impossible (I read an article by someone recently who did it), but it's about as close to it as you could get.
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:01
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The article I was referring to - onestep4ward.com/i-got-saudi-arabia-visa
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:10
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  that's what I was talking about :) it's hard but not impossible.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 3 at 1:02
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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28

Realistically, you probably can't - at least, not at the moment.

Saudi Arabian visas are incredibly difficult to get. As you've said, there is no Tourist visa, and presumably you don't qualify for a Hajj visa (and even if you did, they only allow entry to specific areas and on specific dates - you can't travel within the country).

In general, the only visa a Canadian could get to access the country generally would be a business visa - but the chances of getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero. The paperwork required to justify your application is significant, as are the costs (my last Saudi visa cost over US$1600). All applications need to be done via an authorized agent, of which there are only a few - and as you've discovered several parts of the process need to be completed in Arabic.

The Saudi government stated in 2013 that they were going to start issuing tourist visas to citizens of select countries, however to date this has not started - with the latest estimates being by the end of 2019. However even if that occurs, Canada was not on the published list of countries that were to be included - although that could well change by the time they start issuing visas.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 2 at 6:00

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero" - of course, you could always come up with a business reason, such as wanting to visit a trade expo of some sort or wanting to meet with suppliers of something you might want to resell in your country. Plenty of hardcore travelers do that every year.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 2 at 22:31
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JonathanReez The bar set for such things is incredibly high. Despite working for a >100,000 person company with a globally household-known name, I had to get paperwork like a certificate of incorporation to prove that we existed. The requirements from the Saudi company that is inviting you is similar. I'm not saying it's impossible (I read an article by someone recently who did it), but it's about as close to it as you could get.
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:01
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The article I was referring to - onestep4ward.com/i-got-saudi-arabia-visa
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:10
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  that's what I was talking about :) it's hard but not impossible.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 3 at 1:02
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

28

Realistically, you probably can't - at least, not at the moment.

Saudi Arabian visas are incredibly difficult to get. As you've said, there is no Tourist visa, and presumably you don't qualify for a Hajj visa (and even if you did, they only allow entry to specific areas and on specific dates - you can't travel within the country).

In general, the only visa a Canadian could get to access the country generally would be a business visa - but the chances of getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero. The paperwork required to justify your application is significant, as are the costs (my last Saudi visa cost over US$1600). All applications need to be done via an authorized agent, of which there are only a few - and as you've discovered several parts of the process need to be completed in Arabic.

The Saudi government stated in 2013 that they were going to start issuing tourist visas to citizens of select countries, however to date this has not started - with the latest estimates being by the end of 2019. However even if that occurs, Canada was not on the published list of countries that were to be included - although that could well change by the time they start issuing visas.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 2 at 6:00

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero" - of course, you could always come up with a business reason, such as wanting to visit a trade expo of some sort or wanting to meet with suppliers of something you might want to resell in your country. Plenty of hardcore travelers do that every year.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 2 at 22:31
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JonathanReez The bar set for such things is incredibly high. Despite working for a >100,000 person company with a globally household-known name, I had to get paperwork like a certificate of incorporation to prove that we existed. The requirements from the Saudi company that is inviting you is similar. I'm not saying it's impossible (I read an article by someone recently who did it), but it's about as close to it as you could get.
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:01
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The article I was referring to - onestep4ward.com/i-got-saudi-arabia-visa
  
  – Doc
  Aug 3 at 0:10
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  that's what I was talking about :) it's hard but not impossible.
  
  – JonathanReez♦
  Aug 3 at 1:02
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Realistically, you probably can't - at least, not at the moment.

Saudi Arabian visas are incredibly difficult to get. As you've said, there is no Tourist visa, and presumably you don't qualify for a Hajj visa (and even if you did, they only allow entry to specific areas and on specific dates - you can't travel within the country).

In general, the only visa a Canadian could get to access the country generally would be a business visa - but the chances of getting one of these without a valid business reason is basically zero. The paperwork required to justify your application is significant, as are the costs (my last Saudi visa cost over US$1600). All applications need to be done via an authorized agent, of which there are only a few - and as you've discovered several parts of the process need to be completed in Arabic.

The Saudi government stated in 2013 that they were going to start issuing tourist visas to citizens of select countries, however to date this has not started - with the latest estimates being by the end of 2019. However even if that occurs, Canada was not on the published list of countries that were to be included - although that could well change by the time they start issuing visas.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 2 at 6:00

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 2 at 6:00

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

81.3k55 gold badges189189 silver badges300300 bronze badges

answered Aug 2 at 4:03

DocDoc

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