Saudi Family Visit Visa: Requirements & Steps

If you are a Saudi citizen or a resident and you want to bring your relatives or friends to the Kingdom, the family-and-friends visit visa is the route you need. In this Saudi Living guide we walk you through who is eligible, the exact steps for both the sponsor and the visitor, the documents required, the current published charges, and what you can and cannot do once the visa is issued. The process is now almost entirely electronic through the KSA Visa platform, so most families can complete it from home.

Who can apply and who can be invited

A Saudi citizen or a resident may request a visit visa for relatives or friends. Keep in mind that a separate application is submitted for every visitor — including children — so plan for one request

• For the citizen family-visit service, eligible first-degree relatives include parents, spouse, and children.
• Residents may also invite eligible relatives, subject to the sponsor information requested during the application.

Steps for the sponsor

The sponsor starts the process online. Log in to the KSA Visa platform through نفاذ (Nafath) or your platform account, then follow these steps:

• Select Family Visit Request.
• Complete your personal and employment information.
• Add each visitor’s details and passport information.
• Submit and save the request.
• Authenticate the request through the relevant employer or chamber procedure when this is required.
• Send the issued invitation or application number to the visitor so they can complete their part.

Steps for the visitor

Once the visitor receives the invitation or application number, they complete the rest of the process themselves:

• Open the KSA Visa platform.
• Select the family-and-friends visit visa.
• Enter the invitation or application information.
• Upload the required documents.
• Pay the displayed fees and insurance.
• Complete biometric and passport-submission requirements through the designated visa service center or a Saudi embassy when required.

Documents you will need

Prepare these basics before starting to avoid delays:

• A passport valid for at least six months.
• A recent photograph.
• The completed electronic application.
• Proof of relationship where requested.
• Valid residence details or sponsor information.

Fees and processing time

The published charges for the family-and-friends visit visa are as follows, with the final payable amount shown on the KSA Visa payment screen. Exchange-rate conversion may change the SAR amount:

• Visa fee: about US$80 (approximately SAR300), refundable.
• Digital-services fee: about US$10.50 (approximately SAR39.38), non-refundable.
• Insurance digital-services fee: about US$10.50 (approximately SAR39.38), non-refundable.
• Medical-insurance premium: variable, based on the selected insurer and visitor details.

Processing for the electronic family-and-friends visa is fast — roughly one minute to three business days. If the application goes through an embassy or a service center, expect it to take longer.

Validity, stay, and permitted purposes

You can choose between two visa types depending on your family’s plans:

• Single-entry visa: 90-day validity and a permitted stay of up to 90 days.
• Multiple-entry visa: one-year validity, with each stay allowed up to 90 days.

The visa is for visiting family or friends. Importantly, Umrah is permitted under this visa. However, Hajj is not permitted on a family-and-friends visit visa, and the visa does not allow employment or residence.

Electronic issuance vs. embassy processing

Immediate electronic issuance is available only to eligible nationalities and to eligible holders of Schengen, United Kingdom, or United States visit visas; permanent residents of the United States, the European Union, or the United Kingdom; and residents of Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Applicants who do not fall into these categories complete the process through a designated visa service center or a Saudi embassy, which may take longer.

Because rules, fees, and eligibility can be updated, always confirm the latest requirements on the official KSA Visa platform and verify your sponsor status through the relevant government portal before you submit and pay.

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