Exit and Re-Entry Visa Saudi Arabia: How to Apply

Whether you're planning a family holiday, a business trip, or a visit back home, if you're a resident on an iqama you'll need an exit and re-entry visa before you leave the Kingdom. This Saudi Living guide walks you through the visa types, current fees, validity rules, and exactly how to apply—so you can travel without last-minute surprises at the airport.

Visa types and fees

There are two categories of exit and re-entry visa, and choosing the right one depends on how often you plan to travel:

• Single exit/re-entry visa: SAR 200, with an initial validity of 2 months. It allows one trip out and back.
• Multiple exit/re-entry visa: SAR 500, with an initial validity of 3 months (and can be issued for up to 6 months). It allows several trips within the validity period.

If you need extra time, both types can be extended month by month:

• Single visa: SAR 100 for each additional month.
• Multiple visa: SAR 200 for each additional month.

Extensions are allowed up to your iqama's expiry date—your travel document cannot outlast your residency.

Validity and eligibility rules

Before you apply, make sure the basics are in order to avoid rejection:

• Your iqama must be valid and not expired.
• Your passport must have at least 90 days of validity remaining.
• All traffic and Jawazat (passport) fines must be settled via SADAD before the visa can be issued.
• You must be physically inside Saudi Arabia at the time the visa is issued.
• Biometric (fingerprint) data must be registered for anyone over 15 years of age.

The single visa is issued for 2 months and extendable monthly until iqama expiry, while the multiple visa is issued for 3 or 6 months with the same monthly extension option.

Who can apply

The application path depends on your situation:

• Expat employees can create an exit/re-entry request for themselves through Absher; the employer or sponsor then approves and issues it.
• Employers and sponsors can issue visas for their workers through Absher Business or Muqeem.
• Individual sponsors can issue visas for their family dependents through Absher Individuals.

How to apply as an employee (Absher Individuals)

If you want to request your own exit and re-entry visa, follow these steps:

• Log in to Absher Individuals using your iqama/ID number and password, then confirm the OTP sent to your phone.
• Go to My Services → Services → Passports → Visa Requests.
• Select Create Visa Request → Exit Re-Entry Visa (Single).
• Enter the return-before period—typically up to 30 days in the self-request flow.
• Confirm and submit. Your request is then sent to your employer or sponsor for approval.

A helpful rule to know: if your employer does not respond within 10 days, the request is automatically approved.

How employers and sponsors issue visas

For companies and individual sponsors, issuance happens through dedicated portals:

• Absher Business lets employers issue exit and re-entry visas for their workers.
• Muqeem is an alternative employer portal for issuing and checking worker visas.
• Absher Individuals is where an individual sponsor issues visas for family dependents.

In each case, the same preconditions apply: valid iqama and passport, no outstanding fines, and the traveller inside the Kingdom.

Tips to avoid problems at the airport

• Apply a few days early so any fine settlement or employer approval has time to process.
• Check your visa status before booking flights—confirm the type, validity, and return-before date.
• Keep an eye on your iqama expiry, since your visa cannot extend beyond it.
• Settle every SADAD fine, even small traffic ones, as a single unpaid fine can block issuance.

Fees and procedures can change, so always confirm the latest figures and steps on the official Saudi government portals—Absher and Muqeem—before you travel.

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