Russia–Saudi Arabia Visa-Free Travel Is Now in Force — What It Means for Russian Passport Holders in the UAE

A mutual visa exemption agreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia entered into force on 11 May 2026. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the agreement covers all passport types — diplomatic, special, and ordinary — making Russia the first country with which Saudi Arabia has concluded a visa exemption that includes ordinary passport holders. It was signed in Riyadh on 1 December 2025 and took effect to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Saudi–Russian diplomatic relations.

For a Russian passport holder, the agreement allows visa-free travel to Saudi Arabia for tourism, business, and visits to family and friends. You can stay for up to 90 days in a single visit, or across multiple visits that together total 90 days within one calendar year. No eVisa and no visa fee are required for these purposes — you travel on your passport. Because the exemption follows Russian nationality, it applies wherever you live, including if you are a Russian passport holder resident in the UAE.

Until now, a Russian passport holder living in the UAE who wanted to visit Saudi Arabia applied for the Saudi tourist eVisa online before travelling. That step is no longer needed for a normal visit: you can now fly to Saudi Arabia on your passport and enter visa-free for tourism, business, or to see family and friends. It removes the application, the fee, and the wait for approval for those trips.

It is important to be precise about the limits. The exemption is for short visits only. If you are travelling to Saudi Arabia to work, to study, to take up residency, or to perform Hajj, the exemption does not apply and you must obtain the correct visa for that purpose before you travel. Do not assume Hajj is included — it is specifically excluded. Keep track of your days, too: the 90-day allowance is capped per calendar year across all your trips, not reset on each entry.

1. 1Carry a passport valid for at least six months and, as with any visa-free entry, be ready to show a return or onward ticket and accommodation details.
2. 2Keep count of your days in Saudi Arabia across the calendar year — the visa-free allowance totals 90 days per year, whether in one trip or several.
3. 3If your purpose is work, study, residency, or Hajj, arrange the appropriate Saudi visa before you travel — the exemption does not cover these.
4. 4If you are unsure whether your trip is covered, or you need a visa for an excluded purpose, OraVisa can confirm your route and handle the application from Dubai.

This update is based on publicly available information from the Saudi Press Agency and credible international reporting as of 3 July 2026. The mutual visa exemption between Saudi Arabia and Russia entered into force on 11 May 2026 and allows Russian ordinary-passport holders to travel to Saudi Arabia visa-free for tourism, business and family visits, for up to 90 days within a calendar year. It does not apply to work, study, residency, or Hajj, which remain subject to existing visa requirements. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents understand the change. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, refer to the Saudi Press Agency and official Saudi government sources.