Saudi Visa Fees from Dubai: e-Visa, Visit & Umrah Costs

The Saudi tourist e-Visa is applied for online through the official Visa.visitsaudi.com portal. Eligible nationalities — currently over 50 countries including most Western passport holders, GCC residents on certain visa types, and nationals of selected Asian and African countries — can apply entirely online without visiting an embassy.

The e-Visa fee is SAR 300, which converts to approximately AED 295 at the current exchange rate. However, this is not the total cost. Saudi Arabia mandates that all e-Visa holders purchase travel insurance, and this insurance is bundled directly into the application at SAR 180 (approximately AED 177). You cannot opt out of the insurance — it is automatically included when you pay.

The insurance bundled with the e-Visa is a basic plan underwritten by Saudi-approved insurers. It covers emergency medical treatment during your stay in Saudi Arabia. While it is not a comprehensive travel insurance policy, it satisfies the entry requirement. If you want additional coverage such as trip cancellation, baggage loss, or higher medical limits, you can purchase a supplementary policy from a UAE insurer on top of the mandatory plan.

Nationalities not covered by the Saudi e-Visa program must apply for a visit visa through the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in Dubai. The embassy-route visit visa is also the required channel for applicants seeking family visit visas sponsored by Saudi residents, or for those applying under specific bilateral agreements.

Embassy visit visa fees are set by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and vary by nationality and visa type. Processing also involves VFS Global in Dubai as the collection and submission agent, adding a service charge on top of the government fee. Unlike the e-Visa, the embassy route may require in-person attendance for document submission.

Family visit visas, which require a Saudi sponsor (citizen or resident) to initiate the invitation through the Absher platform, typically fall within the same fee band as tourist visit visas but require additional documentation from the sponsor. The total out-of-pocket cost for an embassy-route visit visa from Dubai, including all associated charges, typically ranges from AED 400 to AED 900 depending on nationality and services selected.

The Umrah visa is not applied for independently. Saudi Arabia requires all Umrah pilgrims to apply through a Saudi Ministry of Hajj-licensed travel agent. These agents handle the entire application, including the Nusuk registration, Mutawwif (guide) services, and accommodation booking in Makkah and Madinah. The visa fee itself is absorbed into the Umrah package rather than charged as a standalone item.

Dubai-based Umrah operators offer packages at a wide range of price points. The variation reflects differences in accommodation quality, the inclusions bundled with the package, and whether the visa processing fee is listed separately or folded into the total package price. Budget packages that cover only the visa, transport, and basic accommodation start at around AED 300 per person, while premium packages with 5-star hotels can exceed AED 800 for the visa and logistics component alone.

When comparing Umrah packages, always ask the agent to separate the visa component from accommodation and flights. Some agents advertise low visa fees but charge inflated prices for mandatory Mutawwif services or use substandard hotels. A licensed agent in the UAE will be registered with the UAE Tourism Authority and affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Saudi Arabia's 96-hour transit visa — officially called the Saudi Stopover Visa — is free for passengers transiting through Saudi airports, including King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. There is no government fee charged for this visa.

The stopover visa allows eligible passengers to leave the airport and explore Saudi cities for up to 96 hours during a layover. Eligibility is tied to your airline — the visa is currently offered exclusively to Saudi Airlines (Saudia) passengers transiting on qualifying itineraries. Passengers on other carriers transiting through Saudi airports without going landside do not require any visa.

If you are transiting through Saudi Arabia on a Saudia flight and have a layover of several hours, the free 96-hour stopover visa is an excellent way to combine transit with a short city visit. This is particularly popular among Dubai residents who connect through Jeddah or Riyadh on international routes.

Business visitors to Saudi Arabia from Dubai have two primary visa routes in 2026. Many business travellers now qualify for the tourist e-Visa, which permits business activities such as meetings, conferences, and site visits (though not paid employment or work contract fulfilment). For work-related assignments or longer-term business stays, a formal business visa through the embassy remains the required channel.

Business visas applied for through the Saudi Embassy in Dubai carry government fees that vary by the applicant's nationality and the number of entries requested. Single-entry business visas for most nationalities are broadly similar in cost to tourist visit visas, while multiple-entry business visas — valid for 1 year or more — attract higher fees.

For most Dubai residents travelling to Saudi Arabia for short-term business purposes, the tourist e-Visa at approximately AED 472 is the most cost-effective and fastest option. It eliminates the need for an invitation letter, embassy appointment, and the higher embassy-route fees. However, if your business activities in Saudi Arabia involve paid employment, setting up a company, or working under a Saudi labour contract, you will need a formal work or business visa issued by the embassy.

Use this consolidated table to quickly compare the total cost of each Saudi Arabia visa category from Dubai. All figures include estimated government fees, mandatory charges, and typical ancillary costs for a standard single applicant.

Saudi visa fees are paid through different channels depending on which visa type you are applying for. Understanding how and when to pay avoids delays and ensures your payment is accepted.

• e-Visa (Visa.visitsaudi.com) — paid online by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express credit/debit card; the fee is charged in SAR and your bank converts it to AED at the prevailing rate, which may include a 1–3% foreign currency markup
• Embassy-route visit visa — the government fee is typically paid online or by bank transfer before your VFS appointment; VFS service charges are paid at the VFS centre by card or cash (AED)
• Umrah visa via agent — paid directly to the licensed travel agent, usually by bank transfer or card; always request an official receipt and invoice
• 96-hour stopover visa — no payment required; processed automatically when booking a qualifying Saudia itinerary
• Business visa (embassy) — follows the same payment channel as the embassy visit visa; government fee paid first, VFS charges paid at the centre

When paying the e-Visa fee in SAR, using a card with low foreign currency conversion fees will save you AED 5 to AED 15 compared to a standard bank card. Multi-currency cards such as those offered by Wise or certain UAE digital banks typically offer the best exchange rates for SAR transactions. Ensure your card has a sufficient credit limit — some banks block overseas transactions above certain thresholds, and a failed payment can delay your application.

While Saudi visa fees are largely fixed by the government, there are practical ways to minimise your total spend and avoid paying more than necessary.

1. 1Use the official Visa.visitsaudi.com portal for e-Visas — third-party intermediary sites charge SAR 500 to SAR 1,500 for the same visa that costs SAR 480 on the official portal
2. 2Check your e-Visa eligibility before assuming you need the more expensive embassy route — over 50 nationalities qualify for the e-Visa, including many UAE residents regardless of passport nationality
3. 3For Umrah, compare at least three licensed agents in Dubai and ask for an itemised quote; agent fees for visa processing alone should be clearly stated separately from accommodation and flights
4. 4Prepare passport photos and photocopies at home before visiting VFS for embassy-route visas — VFS centre rates for photos (AED 50–60) are higher than local studios (AED 20–35)
5. 5Use a low foreign-exchange-fee card to pay the e-Visa in SAR and avoid your bank adding a 3% currency conversion surcharge on top of the already bundled insurance cost
6. 6Apply early — last-minute applications sometimes require express processing that some agents charge extra for, and peak Umrah seasons see higher package prices
7. 7Consider the tourist e-Visa for short business trips instead of the embassy business visa — it is faster, cheaper, and permits most business activities such as meetings and conferences