Saudi Arabia visa and entry requirements

Visit Saudi says your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of entry into Saudi Arabia, unless you are a US citizen: US citizens may enter as long as the passport is valid.

• Meningococcal ACWY (Vaccination certificate (ACYW conjugate vaccine within the last 5 years or polysaccharide vaccine within the last 3 years, at least 10 days before arrival)) — Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health requires everyone intending to perform Umrah in 1447H (2026), from all countries, to be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis (including serogroup ACYW) at least 10 days before arrival; individuals from the countries listed in its table 1, mostly in Africa, must provide a vaccination certificate. The same regulations require polio vaccination of individuals arriving from listed countries.
• Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)) — WHO's country list marks Saudi Arabia as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months and over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission, including travellers who transited more than 12 hours through the airport of such a country.

Visit Saudi says medical insurance fees are included in the price of the tourist eVisa and the visa on arrival, but not included when you qualify only through a GCC residence permit or a US, UK or Schengen visa or residence permit (price determined by the provider). The UK FCDO says an e-visa includes health insurance up to SAR 100,000.

Visit Saudi lists a return ticket among the documents required to obtain an Embassy/Consulate/Tasheer visa. No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement for eVisa, visa-on-arrival or visa-exempt visitors.

Visit Saudi lists financial solvency or a bank statement among the documents required to obtain an Embassy/Consulate/Tasheer visa. No amount is published, and no official source we could read states a funds requirement for other visitors.

Fine: up to 50,000 SAR

The Ministry of Interior, in statements carried by the Saudi Press Agency, says a foreigner who is late leaving after their entry visa expires is punished with a fine of up to SAR 50,000, imprisonment of up to six months, and deportation.

Done by the accommodation.

The Shomoos system applies to private establishments running tourist accommodation facilities and rest-house rentals. The data of every person using the service must be entered into Shomoos immediately, without exception, on the basis of national IDs, residence permits and passports. The establishment must send its customers' data to Shomoos within sixty minutes at most.

If not done: For an establishment that breaches paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article 7 of the Regulation: a warning for a first offence; a fine of 5,000 riyals for the same offence a second time within six months of the first; a fine of 25,000 riyals for a third time within six months of the second; suspension of the activity for up to sixty days for a fourth time within six months of the third (Regulation, art. 9(2)).

ZATCA says a declaration is compulsory for every traveller to or from the Kingdom carrying currency, monetary instruments, gold bullion or precious metals, precious stones or fine jewellery valued at SAR 40,000 or more; it can be filed electronically through the app or website, but for currencies, bearer negotiable instruments or precious metals worth SAR 40,000 the traveller must also visit the declaration office at the port.

• The UK FCDO lists alcohol, pork and pork products, pornographic material, distillery equipment, weapons and narcotics among the items it is illegal to import.
• The UK FCDO says there is zero tolerance for drug offences in Saudi Arabia: possessing even small amounts can bring a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of 30,000 Saudi riyals, and drug dealing and smuggling can result in a death sentence.