Free Stopover Visa Offers Easy access to Saudi to more Countries

– The Stopover Visa is offered to passengers traveling to final destination on national air carriers, SAUDIA and flynas.

– Stopover Visa is open to all leisure, business and religious travelers and welcomes visitors to stopover for up to 96 hours and includes one complimentary night hotel stay.

– First Stopover visa to be digitally integrated with an airline booking engine and can be obtained in three minutes.

Riyadh, 30 January 2023 – Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Tourism (MT), the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MOHU), SAUDIA and flynas, has welcomed  the launch of a new Stopover Visa.

The free-of-charge Stopover Visa is open to a wider number of countries than the historic tourism eVisa and is Saudi’s latest move to make the destination more accessible. The Stopover Visa will allow passengers to stay in the country for up to 96 hours, enabling more visitors than ever to explore Saudi’s incomparable historical, cultural, and spiritual sites.

Travelers will also be able to use the Stopover Visa to perform the spiritual Umrah ritual. Spiritual travelers can book flights through SAUDIA and flynas, but must also register for Umrah through the Nusuk platform.

Even more exciting for visitors, Stopover Visa holders will be eligible for a complimentary one-night hotel stay during the stopover when booking through SAUDIA.

To help visitors make the most of their stopover, custom 24, 48, 72 and 96-hour itineraries have been developed to inspire visitors to stroll through Jeddah’s Al-Balad, or visit the Al-Turaif district in Diriyah, one of Saudi’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Visitors can also use the Stopover Visa to break up long-haul flights or book a bonus trip to experience Saudi’s burgeoning entertainment and seasonal events calendar or even extend a business trip on the way to their final destination.

The Stopover Visa application will be automatically available through the airline booking platforms for all passengers traveling to their final destination on SAUDIA or flynas airlines. A stopover can be made through any airport in Saudi. For many, the application process can be completed in under three minutes and can be applied for up to three months before travel.

The Stopover Visa provides yet another flexible option for visitors to experience the authentic home of Arabia and will contribute to Saudi’s vision of reaching 100 million visits annually by 2030. 

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Tourism Authority, said:

“The new Stopover Visa is yet another proof point is Saudi’s commitment to developing and encouraging growth in the tourism sector. We will continue to work together across government and across the tourism ecosystem as Saudi transforms into a leading global tourism destination.”

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority, said:

“Today’s announcement of Saudi’s inaugural Stopover Visa is a landmark example of integrated public and private sector cooperation as we continue to share our country and the places we call home with the world. 

Saudi is committed to a seamless visitor experience. In partnership with our national air carriers, SAUDIA and Flynas, we are using digital innovation to provide an instant Stopover Visa, which only enhances Saudi’s accessibility and our world-class destination offering.”