Saudi Arabia Visa from Dubai: Tourist, Visit & Business Guide 2026

Saudi Arabia offers several visa categories relevant to UAE residents. The most significant development in recent years is the 2019 launch of the tourist e-Visa, which opened the Kingdom to leisure travellers from 49 nationalities for the first time. Beyond tourism, the Kingdom issues visit visas for family and business purposes, transit visas for stopovers through Saudi airports, and Umrah visas for Muslim pilgrims. Understanding which category applies to your purpose of travel and passport nationality is the essential first step.

Saudi Arabia's e-Visa programme covers nationals of 49 countries — a list predominantly made up of Western, East Asian, and GCC-adjacent nationalities. The e-Visa allows tourism, leisure, and business visits of up to 90 cumulative days within a 1-year validity window. Critically, since 2021 the tourist e-Visa also permits performance of Umrah, removing the need for a separate pilgrimage visa for eligible nationalities.

For the large Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, and Egyptian expatriate communities in Dubai — who collectively represent some of the UAE's largest nationality groups — the Saudi e-Visa is not available. These passport holders must apply through the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in Dubai. OraVisa assists these applicants with the full embassy visa process.

If your passport nationality is among the 49 e-Visa eligible countries, the Saudi tourist e-Visa application is one of the most straightforward in the region. The entire process is completed online through Saudi Arabia's official Visit Saudi portal, and most applications are approved instantly or within 24 hours.

1. 1Go to the official Visit Saudi e-Visa portal at visa.visitsaudi.com — ensure you are using the official Saudi government website to avoid fraudulent third-party sites. The portal is available in English and Arabic.
2. 2Create an account or log in — register with your email address and set a secure password. You will use this account to track your application status and retrieve your approved visa.
3. 3Select your nationality and verify eligibility — the portal will confirm whether your passport nationality qualifies for the tourist e-Visa before you proceed to the application form.
4. 4Complete the application form — enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your passport: full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport expiry date, and contact information (your UAE mobile number and Dubai address).
5. 5Upload required documents — you will need a clear scan of your passport (biographical page), a recent digital passport photograph (white background, full face visible), and optionally a copy of your UAE residence visa to demonstrate your place of residence.
6. 6Purchase mandatory travel insurance — Saudi Arabia requires all e-Visa holders to hold valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses inside the Kingdom. Insurance can be purchased directly through the portal as part of the application. The insurance fee is SAR 180 (approximately AED 179). You cannot complete the application without this step.
7. 7Pay the visa fee — the Saudi tourist e-Visa fee is SAR 300 (approximately AED 298). Payment is made by credit or debit card directly on the portal. This fee is non-refundable once submitted.
8. 8Submit the application and await approval — most e-Visa applications are processed instantly, with approved visas emailed to you within 24 hours. Download and save your e-Visa PDF, which contains your visa number, validity dates, and permitted stay duration.
9. 9Travel to Saudi Arabia — present your e-Visa (printed or on your phone) alongside your valid passport at Saudi immigration. The immigration officer will verify your visa electronically and stamp your passport upon entry.

Nationals of countries not included in the 49 e-Visa eligible nationalities — including the large Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi, and Nepali communities in Dubai — must apply for a Saudi visa through the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in Dubai. This is a more involved process that requires physical document submission and in-person attendance in some cases.

The Saudi embassy in Dubai handles consular services including tourist visit visas, family visit visas, and business visas for non-eligible nationalities. Most embassy visa applications in the UAE are now processed through the Enjazit platform (enjazit.com.sa), Saudi Arabia's official online visa appointment and application management system.

1. 1Register on the Enjazit platform (enjazit.com.sa) — Enjazit is the official Saudi government portal for managing visa appointments and tracking application status for embassy visa applicants.
2. 2Prepare your complete document set — gather all required documents (see the Document Requirements section below). Ensure every document is complete, current, and correctly formatted before booking your appointment.
3. 3Book a visa appointment — use the Enjazit portal to book an appointment at the Saudi Consulate General in Dubai (Jumeirah area) or the Royal Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Appointment slots can be limited during peak periods; book early.
4. 4Submit your documents at the consulate — attend your appointment with original documents and photocopies. Some nationalities may be required to attend an in-person interview; others may only submit documents through a visa agent.
5. 5Pay the visa fee — the standard visit visa fee is approximately SAR 300 (AED 298), paid at the consulate or through the Enjazit portal depending on the application type.
6. 6Track your application status — monitor your application through the Enjazit portal. You will receive an SMS or email notification when the visa decision is ready.
7. 7Collect your visa or receive it by email — approved visas are typically issued as a sticker affixed to your passport page or as a digital visa document. Collect your passport from the consulate or authorised agent who submitted on your behalf.

Document requirements differ between the e-Visa (which is minimal) and the embassy visa application (which is more comprehensive). Below are the requirements for both channels, tailored to UAE residents applying from Dubai.

Saudi Arabia visa fees are set by the government and are among the more straightforward in the region — the tourist e-Visa has a fixed price inclusive of all government charges, while embassy visa fees vary by nationality and visa type. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of all applicable costs for UAE residents applying from Dubai.

Saudi Arabia's airports — King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah), King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh), and King Fahd International Airport (Dammam) — serve as transit hubs for many routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe. UAE residents who transit through Saudi airports should understand the transit visa rules to avoid immigration complications.

Saudi Arabia offers a 96-hour transit visa that allows eligible transit passengers to enter the Kingdom for up to four days during a layover. This is particularly useful for travellers who wish to combine a brief Saudi visit — to Riyadh, Jeddah's Al Balad heritage district, or NEOM — with a connecting journey. The transit visa can sometimes be obtained on arrival at eligible Saudi airports for qualifying nationalities.

If you are transiting through Saudi Arabia and your flight operates from Dubai, OraVisa can advise on whether a pre-arranged transit visa is required for your nationality and arrange the application if needed. Do not assume on-arrival processing will be available without verifying this in advance.

The Umrah visa is issued exclusively for the performance of the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah to Makkah and Madinah. It operates under a completely separate system from the tourist and business visa programmes and is managed through Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah rather than the Ministry of Tourism.

For nationals of the 49 e-Visa eligible countries, Saudi Arabia has integrated Umrah access into the tourist e-Visa since 2021. This means British, American, Australian, and most European passport holders residing in Dubai can perform Umrah on their tourist e-Visa without applying for a separate Umrah visa. They can enter Saudi Arabia, visit Makkah (if Muslim) and Madinah, perform Umrah, and continue as tourists — all on the single e-Visa.

For nationals not eligible for the e-Visa — including the large Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Muslim communities in Dubai — Umrah visas must be obtained through UAE Ministry of Economy-approved Umrah travel operators. These operators are licensed by both the UAE and Saudi governments to arrange Umrah packages that include the visa, accommodation, and transport. The Umrah visa is not available to apply for independently.

Whether applying via the e-Visa portal or through the Saudi embassy in Dubai, the following tips will help UAE residents maximise their chances of a smooth, first-attempt approval and avoid the most common mistakes.

• Verify your exact passport nationality eligibility before starting — the Saudi e-Visa eligibility list is nationality-specific, and some applicants from borderline countries are surprised to find they are not eligible; always check visa.visitsaudi.com first
• Ensure your passport has at least 6 months of validity from your intended entry date — Saudi immigration strictly enforces this requirement; do not travel with a passport that expires within 6 months even if technically your visa is valid
• Make sure your UAE residence visa is valid — if your UAE residence visa has expired, cancelled, or has less than a few months remaining, your Saudi visa application is likely to be refused; renew your UAE residency first
• For the e-Visa: complete the mandatory insurance purchase in the same session — attempting to skip insurance or apply separately is not possible; the insurance (SAR 180) is a mandatory part of the e-Visa application and the portal requires it before approving the visa
• Apply with enough lead time — for the e-Visa, apply at least 48 hours before departure (most are instant, but buffer for the occasional manual review); for embassy visas, apply at least 15 business days before travel
• During Ramadan: Saudi Arabia is a highly popular destination for UAE residents during Ramadan; apply at least one month in advance as embassy processing times extend significantly during this period
• During the Hajj season (Dhul Hijja): tourist visa issuance may be restricted or delayed for certain nationalities in the weeks surrounding the Hajj period; plan your trip to avoid this window if possible
• Dress conservatively in passport photos — Saudi immigration and consular staff are known to be attentive to cultural alignment; ensure your photograph is formal and modest
• Include your GCC travel history if relevant — prior travel to the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, or Qatar (where you held a valid residence or visit visa) demonstrates good compliance and strengthens embassy visa applications
• Women travelling alone to Saudi Arabia: solo female travel to Saudi Arabia is fully permitted since the 2019 reforms; include a hotel booking and clear itinerary in your application to demonstrate organised travel plans

The Saudi visa landscape can be confusing — two parallel systems (e-Visa and embassy), a dozen visa sub-types, nationality-specific rules, and seasonal processing pressures around Ramadan and Hajj all create potential for errors. OraVisa has extensive experience navigating the Saudi visa process from Dubai for the UAE's diverse expatriate population.

• e-Visa guidance for eligible nationalities — we walk you through the Visit Saudi portal step by step, ensuring the insurance is correctly purchased and your application is complete before you pay the non-refundable fee
• Full embassy visa management for non-eligible nationalities — for Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, and other passport holders, we prepare your complete document set, coordinate your Enjazit appointment, and track your application through to approval
• Umrah visa coordination — we work with UAE Ministry-approved Umrah operators to arrange Umrah visas and packages for non-eligible nationalities; and advise e-Visa holders on incorporating Umrah into their Saudi itinerary
• Family visit visa assistance — we guide both the Dubai-based applicant and the Saudi-resident host on their respective responsibilities (UAE documents and Saudi Absher invitation) to ensure the application is submitted correctly
• Transit visa arrangements — if you are transiting through Saudi airports and need entry into the Kingdom during a layover, we arrange the appropriate transit visa based on your nationality
• Refusal analysis and reapplication — if a previous Saudi visa application has been refused, our consultants review the refusal reason and recommend the strongest approach for a successful reapplication