PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Saudi Arabia

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to Saudi Arabia.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per year.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    Tourism, events, visiting family and relatives, leisure and Umrah outside the Hajj season. Hajj is not allowed on a tourist visa. Study and paid work are not allowed.

  • Passport validity

    At least 6 months remaining from the date of entry.

  • How to apply

    Apply online at visa.visitsaudi.com (the official portal; the unified government platform is ksavisa.sa). Steps: fill in the form, pay, receive the eVisa by email. Fee: the government visa fee is SAR 300 under the Tourist Visa Regulations, plus compulsory medical insurance and processing charges, bringing the online total to SAR 535 (reported by SA Government News in 2023 and current secondary sources). Processing is usually within 3 working days. Valid one year, multiple entry. Fees are non-refundable, even if refused. Visa on arrival is an alternative at airports (reported total SAR 480 without the online processing charge).

  • Where South Africans apply

    Online for the tourist eVisa. Other visa types (business, work, family) go through Tasheer, the Saudi visa service centre network (vc.tasheer.com). Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, 711 Duncan Street, Hatfield, Pretoria; tel +27 12 362 4233; zaemb@mofa.gov.sa.

  • Travel insurance

    Mandatory. Medical insurance approved in the Kingdom is a condition of the tourist visa and is bundled into the eVisa fee. The included cover is up to SAR 100,000; extra travel insurance is recommended.

  • Proof of funds

    No official amount published. Some sources say travellers should be able to show funds for accommodation, food and transport.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    None required for ordinary tourists arriving from South Africa. Umrah pilgrims need a quadrivalent meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination. A yellow fever certificate is required only when arriving from yellow fever risk countries. Returning to South Africa: Saudi Arabia is not on South Africa's yellow fever risk list, so no certificate is needed on return.

  • Arrival forms

    No separate arrival form. Customs: declare cash and valuables above SAR 40,000 on entry or exit.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    No extension provision is published for the tourist visa. Overstaying is penalised under the Tourist Visa Regulations; fines start at SAR 100 per day and can lead to detention, deportation, entry bans and exit bans.

  • Transit

    Saudia and flynas passengers can get a free stopover visa of up to 96 hours (processing and insurance charges still apply), applied for when booking the flight. Not checked on a Saudi government page.

  • Travelling with children

    Under the Tourist Visa Regulations, visitors under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian or a safe companion. Applications for under-18s are made by a parent or guardian. Women travelling for Umrah have additional rules according to secondary sources.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

Research sources

  1. 1. Saudi Ministry of Tourism, official eVisa portal (Official, visa.visitsaudi.com) https://visa.visitsaudi.com/
  2. 2. Saudi Ministry of Tourism, eVisa terms and conditions (Official, visa.visitsaudi.com) https://visa.visitsaudi.com/Home/TermsConditions
  3. 3. Saudi Ministry of Tourism, Tourist Visa Regulations (Official, cdn.mt.gov.sa) https://cdn.mt.gov.sa/mtportal/mt-fe-production/content/policies-regulations/documents/tourism-regulations/Tourist-Visa-Regulations-En-V012.pdf
  4. 4. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in South Africa (Official, za.saudiembassy.sa) https://za.saudiembassy.sa/en/Pages/default.aspx
  5. 5. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia/entry-requirements
  6. 6. SAnews (South African Government News Agency), 29 Oct 2023 (Other government, sanews.gov.za) https://www.sanews.gov.za/africa-south-africa/saudi-arabia-opens-e-visa-system-south-africans
  7. 7. US Department of State (Other government, travel.state.gov) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SaudiArabia.html
  8. 8. The Global Travel Agency (GSA), South Africa (News and guides, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2742-saudi-arabia-country-guide
  9. 9. Gulf News (News and guides, gulfnews.com) https://gulfnews.com/preview/story/kxPSLz6dyeu59ninGIXqRljCPxqYSF0HHSlpRLdzLCaz1E2tYfQSIUF8twDtgdlD

From doineedavisa.co.za/saudi-arabia. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.