The Ministry of Tourism has taken a new step to grant visit visas “electronically” to eight new countries: “Azerbaijan, Albania, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Maldives.” Holders of the nationality of these countries can apply for a visit visa to the Kingdom electronically. Or request it upon arrival at one of the Kingdom’s international ports.
The step comes in line with the Kingdom’s tourism strategy and the aspirations of the tourism sector in line with Vision 2030, which includes raising the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product from 3% to more than 10%, providing one million additional job opportunities in which priority is given to the people of the country, and attracting 100 million tourists by Year 2030 AD.
The visit visa enables individuals to visit various regions of the Kingdom and perform Umrah rituals, and its regulations issued by His Excellency the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib, stipulate that tourists must comply with the regulations and instructions followed during their presence in the Kingdom, including always carrying identity documents.
The Ministry also noted that the visit visa does not enable the performance of Hajj, nor does it enable the performance of Umrah during the Hajj season, and it is an extension of the efforts aimed at enhancing the Kingdom’s openness and communication with the world, in addition to supporting development efforts and economic diversification, which is at the heart of the main objectives. To see.
On September 27, 2019, the Ministry of Tourism launched the visit visa targeting 49 countries, bringing it to 57 countries after adding the new countries. Last March, the Ministry of Tourism also approved the empowerment of all residents in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as it expanded the accreditation of all resident professions. In the GCC countries without requiring specific professions, as part of the Ministry’s efforts to provide the opportunity for all residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to enjoy tourist destinations, participate in tourism and entertainment events, and become closely acquainted with Saudi heritage and tourist destinations.
The Ministry of Tourism intends to expand the electronic visit visa system to include additional countries and regions, coinciding with the ongoing development and expansion of the tourism sector infrastructure in the Kingdom.