{"id":1821,"date":"2025-04-15T15:04:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T15:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saudivisa.ae\/blog\/?p=1821"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:03:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T13:03:23","slug":"saudi-arabia-visa-policy-changes-e-stopover-18-countries-temporary-visas-suspended","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saudivisa.ae\/blog\/saudi-arabia-visa-policy-changes-e-stopover-18-countries-temporary-visas-suspended\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia Makes Visa Policy Changes: New E-Stopover For 18 Countries, Temporary Visas No\u2002Longer Issued"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the Haj season around the corner, Saudi Arabia has enacted\u2002significant changes to its Saudi Visa rules. Officials have limited e-stopover visas to citizens of 18 countries and also suspended new short-term\u2002visas for travelers from 14 countries. These steps are designed to facilitate the management of the growing flow\u2002of pilgrims during the holy month.<\/p>\n

Only\u2002travelers from countries listed under \u201cGroup A\u201d can now apply for e-stopover visas, according to Saudi Arabia\u2019s Civil Aviation Authority. The move is aimed at easing the entry process for approved visitors and maintaining control\u2002over the rising number of international travelers anticipated during Hajj.<\/p>\n

The new\u2002eligible countries for an e-stopover visa are Canada, Malaysia, the USA, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Singapore, Thailand, T\u00fcrkiye and Mauritius. Applicants not only must be citizens of these nations but they must also hold\u2002a valid visa from the above group and have previously entered the visa country.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Saudi<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n

Suspension of Short-Term Visas for 14 Countries<\/h2>\n

Along with making the Saudi Tourist Visa<\/a> options more limited, the Saudi authorities\u2002announced this week that short-term visas for citizens of 14 countries will be temporarily suspended. This\u2002suspension is set to come into effect on April 13, 2025, and will ensure that religious pilgrims take precedence while Saudi Arabia gears up for the Haj.<\/p>\n

Egypt, India, Tunisia, Yemen, Morocco, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, Sudan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Libya are among the affected\u2002countries. Nationals of these countries who possess\u2002valid existing visas must enter Saudi Arabia before April 13 and leave by April 29, 2025.<\/p>\n

The move concerns all forms of short-term visas such as business visit visas, family visit\u2002visas and e-visa for tourism. Staying past the deadline for departure would constitute a violation\u2002of Saudi immigration laws, alert the authorities, and such violations could carry serious consequences.<\/p>\n

Haj Season:\u2002Strict Penalty for Visa Violators<\/h2>\n

The Saudi Interior Ministry\u2002has emphasized the need to abide by the state’s visa instructions during this exceptional period. Under the new measures, those failing to comply with visa terms will be faced\u2002with heavy penalties. Companies and service providers dealing with Hajj and Umrah operations\u2002could be fined as much as SR100,000 ($26,670) if it is proven that they facilitated travelers who overstayed their visas.<\/p>\n

Companies must also report pilgrims who do not leave the country in the legal\u2002period after the expiry of their visas. Non-compliance with this report may also\u2002incur financial penalties and various legal implications.<\/p>\n

The Saudi government is reiterating its decision to NOT allow illegal pilgrims and unauthorized\u2002visitors to stay on. This strict approach to visa compliance for travelers during the Hajj season is protective of the sanctity of the pilgrimage and the security of the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the Haj season around the corner, Saudi Arabia has enacted\u2002significant changes to its Saudi Visa rules. Officials have limited…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-saudi-arabia-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSaudi Visa Rules Updated Ahead of Haj Season<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New Saudi visa rules: e-stopover visas limited to 18 nations, 14 countries face short-term visa suspensions as Hajj season approaches.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saudivisa.ae\/blog\/saudi-arabia-visa-policy-changes-e-stopover-18-countries-temporary-visas-suspended\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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