Is a visa required for transit in Saudi Arabia?

Are you stopping over in Saudi Arabia and wondering if you need a transit visa? This comprehensive guide explains the current rules for stopovers and transits in the Kingdom, depending on your nationality, the length of your connection, and your airline.

👉 Find out who can travel without a visa, how the electronic transit visa (stopover visa) works, and, most importantly, what the official alternative is for visiting the country freely: the tourist e-Visa, valid for up to 90 days.

Transit visa for Saudi Arabia: at a glance

• 🛂 Visa type → Transit/Stopover or tourist e-Visa
• ⏱️ Maximum transit time → 96 hours (4 days)
• 🧳 Stopover < 12 hours → No visa required
• 💻 Online application → Available via Saudia/Flynas for the stopover visa
• 🌍 Alternative → Tourist e-Visa, valid for 1 year (stays of 90 days)
• 💰 Price → Varies depending on the type of visa
• 📧 Issuance → Within 24 to 48 hours, by email

⚖️ What are the transit rules in Saudi Arabia?

Transit in Saudi Arabia refers to the period during which a traveler stops over at a Saudi airport before continuing their journey to another destination. The applicable rules depend on the length of the stopover, the type of ticket, and the airline used.

If your connection lasts less than 12 hours and you do not leave the international area of the airport, no transit visa is required. You can wait for your next flight in the transit area without going through immigration, provided that both flights are on the same ticket and operated by the same airline.

However, if your layover exceeds 12 hours or if you wish to leave the airport to explore the surrounding area, a transit visa or “stopover visa” is required. This electronic visa allows travelers to explore the Kingdom for a short stay, rest at a hotel, or visit Riyadh, Jeddah, or Medina depending on their itinerary.

There are two major situations:

• 🛫 Transit visa exemption → For layovers of less than 12 hours, without leaving the airport or changing terminals requiring passage through immigration.
• 🕌 Electronic transit/stopover visa → For layovers of 12 to 96 hours, offering the possibility of leaving the airport, staying in a local hotel, and freely visiting Saudi cities during the layover. This visa is available online and is often offered free of charge by Saudia or Flynas, subject to eligibility requirements.

💡 Good to know: the stopover visa is valid for a single entry and cannot be extended. It is advisable to apply for it before departure to avoid being rejected boarding or entry upon arrival.

📄 Transit visa requirements in Saudi Arabia

To obtain a transit or stopover visa for Saudi Arabia, you must submit a complete application that meets the requirements of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The process is usually quick, but even the slightest error can result in a refusal or delay in processing.

The major conditions to be met are as follows:

• Valid passport → Your passport must be in good condition and valid for at least six months from the date of your planned entry into Saudi territory.
• Confirmed connecting ticket → You must have a return ticket or a continuing flight to a third destination, proving that your stopover in Saudi Arabia is only temporary.
• Eligible airline → The 96-hour electronic transit visa is mainly available to passengers traveling with Saudia and Flynas, which include the application directly in their booking process.
• Required medical insurance → Each application automatically includes insurance covering urgent care for the duration of the stay, in accordance with the rules imposed by the Saudi authorities.
• Digital documents → You will need to upload a recent passport photo that is legible and complies with the required format, as well as accurate flight information (number, arrival and departure airports, dates).

Once approved, the visa is issued in electronic form (PDF) and sent by email. It is valid for a single entry and cannot be extended under any circumstances.

Travelers are required to comply with the authorization of stay and leave the country before the visa expires, or they may face penalties in the future.

🌍 What visa options are available for travelers in transit?

Saudi Arabia distinguishes between two major situations for passengers in transit, depending on the length of transit and the type of itinerary booked. These rules are designed to facilitate connections while offering the opportunity to discover the country for longer stopovers.

✈️ Option 1: Visa exemption

If your stopover lasts less than 12 hours and you remain in the international transit area, no visa is required. You can simply wait for your connection without any additional requirements, provided that:

• both flights are on the same ticket;
• the connection is operated by the same airline;
• you do not leave the secure area of the airport.

This exemption is ideal for short stopovers, particularly in Jeddah, Riyadh, or Dammam, where modern facilities offer comfort, dining, and free Wi-Fi to waiting travelers.

🕌 Option 2: Electronic transit visa (Stopover Visa)

For stopovers of 12 to 96 hours, travelers can apply for an electronic transit visa, also known as a Stopover Visa.

This official document allows you to leave the airport and freely visit the country during your layover, whether to rest at a hotel, discover the historical monuments of Riyadh, or explore the Corniche in Jeddah.

👉 The visa is available online and, in most cases, is automatically included in the booking of flights operated by Saudia or Flynas, thanks to a dedicated interface on their official platforms.

👉 Although presented as free, it always includes required medical insurance and may incur slight administrative fees depending on nationality or point of entry.

The transit/stopover visa is valid for a single entry, non-extendable, and must be requested before departure. It represents an excellent opportunity to turn a simple stopover into a few days' discovery trip in the heart of the Kingdom.

💰 How much does a transit visa for Saudi Arabia cost?

The price of a transit visa for Saudi Arabia depends on the type of stopover and how it is obtained. In 2025, the Saudi authorities do not publish a fixed rate applicable to all travelers: fees vary depending on the airline, nationality, and platform used for the application.

• Stopover of less than 12 hours → FreeIf your connection lasts less than 12 hours and you remain in the transit area without passing through immigration, no visa is required. You can wait for your next flight at no additional cost.
• Stopover visa (Saudia/Flynas) → Free with additional feesThe 96-hour electronic transit visa offered by Saudia and Flynas is advertised as free, but it includes the following required costs:
  • Saudi medical insurance covering urgent care during your stay,
  • and sometimes small administrative fees charged when the application is approved. These costs are modest (often less than SAR 50, or about €12) and are included directly in the online application process.
• Other itineraries or airlines → Variable feesIf your flight is not eligible for the automatic stopover offer, you can apply for a transit visa via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' unified portal: visa.mofa.gov.sa.In this case, the fees vary depending on your nationality and the type of visa requested. The exact amounts are displayed when you submit your application.

📌 Please note: there is no universal rate for transit visas. The amounts sometimes quoted (SAR 30, SAR 395, etc.) correspond to old price lists that are no longer confirmed for 2025. To avoid any confusion, it is recommended that you check the actual cost on the official website or with your airline before traveling.

🧭 The transit visa is not available to all travelers: What is the alternative?

The transit visa for Saudi Arabia attracts many travelers in transit, but it is limited to certain airlines and is not available through iVisa. Fortunately, there is a simple, fast, and official alternative: the tourist e-Visa, which allows you to enter the country freely, regardless of your airline.

✈️ The transit visa: Reserved for certain airlines

The transit visa for Saudi Arabia, also known as the Stopover Visa, is only available in very specific cases. It is issued exclusively by the airlines Saudia and Flynas at the time of booking the flight. This visa allows passengers to stop over in the Kingdom for up to 96 hours and leave the airport to briefly visit the surrounding area.

However, this procedure is not open to everyone. Only travelers whose flight is operated entirely by Saudia or Flynas can benefit from it. Passengers traveling with other airlines (Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, etc.) cannot apply for this visa. Furthermore, it is not offered on third-party websites such as iVisa, Visagov, or Sherpa, as it depends directly on the internal reservation systems of Saudi airlines.

This limitation creates uncertainty for many connecting travelers: their layover may last several hours or an entire day, but no transit visa is available to leave the airport.

🕌 The tourist e-Visa: the ideal alternative

The best solution to get around this constraint is to apply for a Saudi tourist e-Visa, which is recognized by the authorities and valid for all airlines.

This official e-Visa not only allows you to transit, but also to freely explore the country for up to 90 days.

Its major advantages:

• Valid for one year from the date of issue;
• Multiple entries, ideal for frequent travelers or those planning several stopovers in the region;
• Flexible length of stay, up to 90 cumulative days per entry;
• 100% online application, quick and easy to complete;
• Visa received by email within 24 to 48 hours;
• Can be used with any airline and for any type of trip (stopover, tourism, family visit, event).

With the tourist e-Visa, you can turn a simple stopover in Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam into a real mini-trip, without depending on the internal policies of airlines.

🌍 Why choose the e-Visa over the transit visa?

• ✅ No airline restrictions: valid regardless of your flight.
• ✅ Complete freedom of movement: possibility to visit several cities during your stay.
• ✅ Fast processing and secure payment, with assistance available in French.
• ✅ Complete flexibility: stay for 2 days or 3 weeks, depending on your preferences.

The tourist e-Visa is therefore the safest, fastest, and most universal alternative for traveling to Saudi Arabia, even for a simple stopover.