Visa application / entry requirements: Saudi Arabia

E-VISA FOR TOURISTS

Germans and 48 other nationalities - if travelling as tourists - are entitled to apply for an e-visa (electronic visa) online.

The electronic visa is valid for one year from the date of issue and allows multiple entries with a stay of up to 90 days each (but maximum 180 days during one calender year). 

How to obtain an eVisa via SERVISUM can be found in the black box on the right.

REGULAR BUSINESS VISA

For the regular visa application to Saudi Arabia, biometric data (fingerprints and iris scan) of all applicants are recorded. For this purpose, the company "TasHeer" with its offices in Berlin and Frankfurt has been commissioned, where the applicants have to hand in their documents personally.

The Berlin Embassy/Frankfurt Consulate no longer stamps visas in passports, except for government visas and transit visas. Visas are issued by e-mail. The procedure for applicants is the same as before. The visa is sent to the applicant by e-mail and the passport is returned to him/her by courier.

You need the following documents for a BUSINESS VISA (Meetings):

• appointment confirmation 
  from TasHeer
  
  
• passport picture
  original, biometric, no glasses, photo requirements
  
  
• passport
  original, no Israel stamp, min. 6 months valid beyond your stay, with one free double page
  
  
• letter of invitation
  confirmed by the Saudi Arabian Chamber of Commerce, possibly not older than one month, sample
  
  
• copy of commercial register (only necessary in Frankfurt)
  of company in Saudi Arabien, possibly not older than three months, sample
  
  
• company letter 
  of company in Germany, in English and confirmed by the local chamber of commerce, not older than one months, sample
  content:
  • addressed to the Embassy of Saudi-Arabia in Berlin (Tiergartenstr. 33-34, 10785 Berlin) or General Consulat of Saudi Arabia in Frankfurt (Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 49, 60308 Frankfurt) -> it must always be addressed to the representation in the city, which is stated in the letter of invitation (in Arabic), if this is not clear, please contact us
    
  • name and passport number of applicant 
  • position in the company
  • dates of travel
  • purpose of travel
  • name and addresse of company in Saudi Arabia
  • declaration of assumption of costs
    
  
  non-German applicants:
  
• current residence registration (Meldebescheinigung) not older than 6 months, in original (if EU citizen) and - if application in Frankfurt - certified from the Federal Office of Administration or
• valid residence permit for Germany (if not EU citizen) and - if application in Frankfurt - current certificate of registration (Meldebescheinigung), not older than 6 months, in original and certified by the Federal Office of Administration

Depending on the place of application and visa category, additional documents may be required or these may vary slightly. More about that can be read below.

Application in Berlin or Frankfurt?

The place of application can be chosen freely. However, it is important that the recipient of the invitation letter is the same as the recipient of the company letter. This means that the company letter must be addressed to the Saudi Embassy in Berlin if the invitation is also addressed to Berlin. In the case that the invitation is addressed to Frankfurt, the Saudi Consulate in Frankfurt must also be entered as recipient in the company letter. However, TasHeer will charge a forwarding fee of approximately € 50 if the application is submitted in the letter of invitation at a location other than the representation mentioned above.

There are also some differences between the application in Berlin and Frankfurt. For example, travelers applying for a "government visit" visa in Frankfurt do not need to make an appointment with TasHeer, but apply for the visa directly at the consulate. In addition registration certificates (if required) must be certified by the Federal Office of Administration.

Also, other documents are required when processing business visas in Frankfurt, these are:

• a copy of the commercial register of the sponsoring company of the Chamber of Commerce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• original qualification certificate
• Bachelor's degree certificate in original for lawyers, architects, engineers, doctors, project managers, technical managers. all other qualifications, except Sales/Divisional/Export/Marketing/Commercial Managers, original diploma or university degree is required, related to the company activity and the employee's job title
• diploma certificate or experience certificate for professional and technical professions for technicians, mechanics, assemblers and skilled workers in original.

If you apply for the visa in Berlin but have an invitation issued in Frankfurt, the following additional documents are required.

• two high resolution passport size photos on a white background
  It is essential that the two passport size photos match the photo taken on the day of the appointment during the biometric data collection at the Visa Center (mustache, beard, hair length/color, tan, etc. may cause inconsistencies with the photo taken during the biometric data collection). Therefore, it is advisable to take both passport size photos on the same day of the appointment at our Visa Service Centers.
• a current certificate of registration in original, not older than 6 months
  (non-EU citizens a copy of the valid residence permit, still valid for at least 6 months)
• the passport must not have any conditions that prevent the passport holder from entering Saudi Arabia
• visa invitation or pre-approved visa (not older than 90 days)
• the job title on the visa invitation or pre-approved visa must be identical to the job title in the letter of guarantee from the German company

We recommend - if possible - to apply in Berlin with an invitation also issued in Berlin.

More information can be found here: Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia // TasHeer

Website of the embassy: http://embassies.mofa.gov.sa