Saudi includes Türkiye in e-visa program

ANKARA

Saudi Arabia has added Türkiye to the list of countries eligible for electronic visas (e-visa) for tourism purposes.

The decision, announced with a Foreign Ministry statement on Oct. 21, marks a departure from the previous sticker visa requirement for Turkish citizens traveling to Saudi Arabia.

Under the new regulation, both ordinary and official passport holders from Türkiye can now apply for e-visas for various purposes, including tourism, business, umrah, or family visits.

Applications can be submitted through an official website, and successful applicants can obtain their visas either upon arrival at Saudi airports or from the visa sections of Saudi missions in Türkiye.

The e-visa can be issued as either a "single entry" or a "multiple entry" visa, allowing travelers a maximum stay of "90 days within 365 days."

However, this visa does not cover the Hajj period. During this time, tourists visiting Saudi Arabia with an e-visa will only be permitted in cities other than the holy sites.

Meanwhile, Saudi citizens traveling to Türkiye have multiple options for obtaining visas. They can either secure a sticker visa, an e-visa or a banderol visa directly at Türkiye's border gates.