Saudi Visa for UAE Residents: eVisa, Fees and Steps

UAE residents can get a Saudi tourist eVisa online through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ KSA Visa platform, because residents of any GCC country are eligible whatever their nationality. The multiple-entry eVisa is valid for 1 year with stays of up to 90 days, and a single-entry option is valid for 90 days. The official fees are a USD 80 visa fee, two digital service fees of USD 10.50 each and the cost of health insurance, and approval takes from 1 minute to 3 business days. Your passport needs 6 months’ validity and your UAE residence should have at least 3 months left.

Do this next before you apply

• Check your UAE residence: it should be valid for at least 3 more months.
• Check your passport: at least 6 months of validity from the date you enter Saudi Arabia.
• Apply only on the official platform (ksavisa.sa or the Visit Saudi eVisa site), not through look-alike websites.
• Planning Umrah? The tourist eVisa allows it; book your permits in the Nusuk app.

Who can get the Saudi eVisa as a UAE resident?

The KSA Visa platform offers the tourism eVisa to citizens of eligible countries and to anyone who meets one of these conditions:

• Residents of a GCC country, including the UAE.
• Holders of a valid visit visa from the United States, the UK or the Schengen Area.
• Permanent residents of the United States, the EU or the UK.

That means Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and other expatriates living in the UAE can apply online without visiting an embassy. Applicants must be 18 or older unless travelling with a legal guardian. Your UAE residence should still be valid for at least three months, and airlines check residence validity at check-in for travellers using the GCC resident eVisa.

Emirati citizens do not need a visa; as GCC nationals they can enter Saudi Arabia with their national ID card or passport. Expatriate residents cannot travel with just an Emirates ID and always need a passport and visa.

Saudi tourist eVisa fees and validity

Item	Amount or rule
Visa fee	USD 80 (refundable if the visa is refused)
Visa digital services fee	USD 10.50 (non-refundable)
Insurance digital services fee	USD 10.50 (non-refundable)
Health insurance	Depends on the provider you choose
Single-entry visa	Valid 90 days, stay up to 90 days
Multiple-entry visa	Valid 1 year, stay up to 90 days
Processing time	1 minute to 3 business days

The total is shown in Saudi riyals before you pay. Older guides quote fixed totals such as SAR 300 or SAR 535, but the KSA Visa platform now itemises the fee, digital charges and insurance separately, so the final amount depends on the insurance you pick. The eVisa cannot be extended, so plan your stays within the 90-day limit.

What you can do on the Saudi tourist eVisa

Activity	Allowed?
Tourism, sightseeing and events	Yes
Visiting family and friends	Yes
Umrah	Yes, outside the Hajj season, with permits booked in Nusuk
Hajj	No, a separate Hajj visa is required
Work or paid employment	No
Study	No

Tourist visa holders can visit Makkah for Umrah and Madinah, including the Prophet’s Mosque, but entry to Makkah is restricted during the Hajj season. Check the dates announced each year before booking an Umrah trip.

How to apply for a Saudi eVisa from the UAE

1. Go to ksavisa.sa (KSA Visa) or the official Visit Saudi eVisa site and choose the tourism visa.
2. Create an account with your email and select your nationality and country of residence (UAE).
3. Enter your details exactly as in your passport, and upload a headshot photo and your passport page. GCC residents also give their residence details.
4. Choose single or multiple entry and select an insurance provider.
5. Pay by card. The visa fee is refunded if the application is rejected; the digital service fees are not.
6. Receive the eVisa by email, often within minutes, and track it on the platform with your application number if it takes longer.
7. Print or save the eVisa and carry it with your passport and UAE residence when you travel.

If your application is rejected, you can reapply at any time, and the platform may ask for extra documents by email.

Documents to carry when travelling to Saudi Arabia

• Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
• Saudi eVisa printout or digital copy.
• UAE residence details and Emirates ID, valid for at least 3 more months.
• Return ticket or onward travel plan and hotel bookings.
• Proof of funds for your stay, as the KSA Visa platform requires sufficient funds.

Driving to Saudi Arabia from the UAE

Many residents drive through the Al Ghuwaifat border in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, which connects to Saudi Arabia’s Al Batha crossing. Before a road trip:

• Carry the car registration (mulkiya) in your name; a rented or company car needs written permission from the owner.
• If the car is financed, ask your bank for a no objection letter.
• Buy Saudi motor insurance before or at the border, because UAE policies usually do not cover Saudi Arabia.
• Check for unpaid fines or restrictions before leaving; see our travel ban check and car insurance check.

Other Saudi visa options for UAE residents

Visa	When to use it
Family visit visa	A relative living in Saudi Arabia invites you through MOFA
Business visit visa	Meetings or business trips, usually with an invitation from a Saudi company
Transit (stopover) visa	Short stopovers when flying through Saudi Arabia with Saudi airlines
Hajj visa	Hajj pilgrimage through authorised channels only
Visa on arrival	Only for holders of US, UK or Schengen visas, or permanent residents of the US, EU or UK

Common reasons Saudi eVisa applications fail

• UAE residence expiring in less than three months.
• Passport with less than six months of validity.
• Name or date of birth entered differently from the passport.
• A blurry photo or passport scan.
• Using unofficial websites that charge extra or never submit the application.

More travel guides for UAE residents

• Visa-free countries for UAE residents.
• Visa on arrival for UAE residents.
• Need your residence details? Read about the residence visa number.

Official sources: the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ KSA Visa tourism visa page and the official Saudi eVisa site. Fees and eligibility can change, so check the platform before you apply.

This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.