Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launches e-tourist visa

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday announced the opening of its doors to tourists from all over the world with the launch of the e-tourist visa.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the announcement was made during a ceremony organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in Riyadh.

Citizens from 49 countries will also be able to apply for an e-visa or receive a visa on arrival to Saudi Arabia. A dedicated online portal at visitsaudi.com was also launched and electronic kiosks are set to be available at airports to facilitate requests.

The ceremonial event coincided with the World Tourism Day and was attended by a large number of international tourism makers and investors in the presence of the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili and President and CEO of World Travel & Tourism



Council (WTTC).

Visas will allow multiple entries and stays of up to 3 months for tourists. There are no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past, and Muslims can perform pilgrimage outside of haj season.

Until now, foreigners travelling to Saudi Arabia have been largely restricted to resident workers and their dependents, business travellers, and Muslim pilgrims who are given special visas to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Alongside the new visas, foreign women visiting the Kingdom will not be required to wear an abaya - the body-covering robe the Saudi Arabian women are required to wear in public.

Women will still be asked to wear “modest clothing.” The changes are the latest in Saudi Arabia's recent reforms in line with the Vision 2030 economic plan.