Saudi Arabia to implement new visa application fee

Saudi Arabia will implement a new visa fee that will take effect on Sunday after the Islamic New Year (Hijrah) as part of the campaign to depend less on oil revenues.

The visa fee will include all tourists, religious and business – with the exception of people traveling to the country to perform Umrah or Hajj for the first time.

The visa fee will rise to SR2,000 (Saudi Riyals) for a single entry, while the multiple-entry visa fee will be SR3,000 for the six-month visa, SR5,000 for the one-year visa, SR8,000 for the two-year visa.

A transit visa fee of SR300 will also be implemented.

In a time where visa Saudi Arabia has been leaning to less reliance on oil, the move comes as an effective way to ease the pressure on the government in a time where oil prices are low.