Saudi Arabia has enhanced the scope of its electronic visa program by adding three additional countries to the list of eligible nations. Citizens from Barbados, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Grenada can now effortlessly apply for their visas online or obtain them upon arrival at Saudi entry checkpoints.
This initiative has raised the count of countries whose citizens can access Saudi e-visas to a total of 66, reflecting the Kingdom’s efforts to improve its global connectivity and support economic diversification, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. These objectives aim to boost tourism’s contribution to the GDP above 10 percent and create a million new jobs.
Moreover, the tourist visa has been broadened to encompass seven more categories. This includes residents and visit visa holders from the US, UK, and the Schengen area, as well as residents from the GCC. The expansion caters to various travel intentions, such as tourism, the Umrah pilgrimage, family visits, and attendance at events and conferences.
The Kingdom has also introduced a transit visa for passengers of Saudia and flynas airlines, providing a 96-hour stay within Saudi Arabia. This development is part of a larger initiative launched in September 2019 to promote the nation’s cultural and tourist attractions and foster international exchanges.
Plans are in place to further extend the E-visit visa system to more countries and regions, coinciding with ongoing enhancements and growth in the Kingdom’s tourism infrastructure.