Saudi Family Visit Visa: Requirements & Steps

If you live and work in Saudi Arabia, one of the most common questions you'll face is how to bring your close relatives over for a visit. The family visit visa lets eligible residents host immediate family members for a temporary stay, and the process is now almost entirely digital. This سعودي ليفنج guide walks you through who can apply, the documents you'll need, the fees involved, how long it takes, and the key rules on validity and extensions.

Who can apply

A Saudi resident holding a valid work Iqama can request a family visit for immediate relatives. In general, this covers your parents, your spouse, and your children. As the sponsor, your Iqama must be valid, your profession or status must be eligible, and your current employment information must be accurate and up to date. Your passport and Iqama details must match official records exactly, so double-check spelling and numbers before you begin.

Documents you'll need

Preparing the right paperwork in advance saves a lot of back-and-forth. Typically you'll need:

• The visitor's valid passport and a passport-style photograph.
• A family photograph, where required by the visa center.
• Proof of relationship — for example, a marriage certificate for a spouse or birth certificates for parents and children.
• Legalization or attestation and an Arabic translation of relationship documents, depending on the applicant's country and the handling visa center.

Attestation requirements vary by nationality, so confirm exactly what your relative's local visa center needs before paying for translations.

Step-by-step application

The application is handled through the Unified National Visa Platform (KSA Visa) or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs family-visit service. The typical flow is:

• Log in to the Saudi visa platform.
• Select Family and Friends / Family Visit Visa.
• Enter the sponsor, visitor, passport, nationality, and relationship details.
• Complete identity verification through نفاذ.
• Submit the request and keep the application or reference number safe.
• Wait for approval, then pay the required visa and insurance charges.
• The visitor completes issuance or stamping through the Saudi embassy or an authorized visa center, where applicable.

Fees and insurance

The family-and-friends service lists a visa fee of USD 80 , plus a USD 10.50 non-refundable digital-services fee and a USD 10.50 non-refundable insurance-services fee. The final amount payable is always shown in the application portal and may include mandatory medical insurance for the visitor. Always treat the figure displayed in the portal as the authoritative one, since charges can be updated.

Processing time

The listed government service time is around 5 working days. In practice, the full timeline can run longer once you factor in embassy handling, document attestation, insurance, and security processing. It's wise to start well ahead of your relative's planned travel date rather than at the last minute.

Validity, entry, and extension

Validity depends on the visa type issued:

• Single-entry: generally valid for 90 days, with a permitted stay of up to 90 days, subject to the issued visa.
• Multiple-entry: generally valid for one year, with each entry generally limited to 90 days.
• Entry deadline: the visitor must enter before the entry-validity date printed on the issued visa.

Extension availability depends on the issued visa type, current Saudi rules, insurance coverage, and the visitor's status. Where an extension is allowed, it is normally handled electronically by the host through أبشر before the visa expires.

Important to remember

A family visit visa is temporary. It does not grant residence, work authorization, or permanent family sponsorship — it is purely for a visit. As of 2026, the unified platform presents family-and-friends applications, digital-services charges, insurance charges, and validity periods directly within the electronic application. For the exact current fees, timelines, and document rules that apply to your relative's nationality, always confirm on the official Saudi government visa portal and أبشر before you commit to any travel bookings.

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