Saudi Arabia eases tourist eVisa for GCC residents, Schengen visa holders

Saudi Arabia eases tourist eVisa for GCC residents, Schengen visa holders
September 2, 2022, 12:14 pm

Saudi airlines/Official Facebook page

Saudi Arabia will allow GCC residents to easily apply for eVisas while residents of the UK, US and EU can get a visa on arrival, the Kingdom announced on Thursday (Sep 1).

The announcement was made following a decree signed by the Kingdom’s Minister of Tourism. The GCC resident permit must be valid for at least three months in order to qualify for an eVisa.

Holders of a valid tourist or business visa from the UK, US or Schengen visa holders can continue to avail the visa on arrival provided that the visa was used to enter the visa-issuing country at least once.

The tourist visa does not allow its holder to perform Hajj and Umrah, Al Arabiya reported.

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“Elevating the visitor experience is at the heart of the tourism sector’s future,” Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed al-Khateeb said, adding that the move aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 goals.

It is worthy to note that over one million eVisas have been issued since its introduction in 2019.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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