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Saudi Arabia has fundamentally transformed the transit experience for millions of international travellers, offering a unique opportunity to perform Umrah and explore the Kingdom with a complimentary 96-hour stopover visa. This unprecedented initiative, seamlessly integrated into the flight booking process, positions a layover not as a waiting period, but as a chance for a brief, spiritually enriching, or culturally insightful visit.
This new digital e-Visa is not just free of charge—requiring only minimal administrative and mandatory medical insurance fees—it is also a key component of the Kingdom’s expansive Vision 2030 strategy to boost religious and non-religious tourism.
The Transit Visa: Your Gateway to Makkah and Madinah
This special e-Transit Visa allows eligible international passengers to break their journey for a maximum of four days (96 hours). The visa itself is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, giving travellers flexibility in planning their transit. Crucially, the process is streamlined to be completed instantly as part of your flight purchase, eliminating the need for a separate, time-consuming visa application.
The primary requirement is that travellers must be flying with one of Saudi Arabia’s national carriers: Saudia Airlines (SV) or Flynas (XY). This benefit is exclusively tied to booking a transit itinerary through these two airlines, differentiating it from a standard, paid transit visa.
Eligibility and Essential Umrah Requirements
The stopover visa is open to nearly all nationalities and is specifically available to transit passengers who have a confirmed onward flight to a final destination outside of Saudi Arabia. GCC residents, whether citizens or non-citizens, are also eligible under the same terms.
The mandatory step for pilgrims is securing a permit. All individuals wishing to perform Umrah or Ziyarah must register and book their appointments in advance through the Kingdom’s official platform, Nusuk.sa. This digital booking is a non-negotiable step to manage the flow of visitors to the holy sites of Makkah and Madinah. Recent updates confirm that even with a stopover visa, pilgrims must have verified accommodation booked for the duration of their stay to align with the Nusuk platform requirements, ensuring a smooth experience.
Applying for the Free Transit E-Visa
The application is fully embedded within the booking systems of the eligible airlines, making the process highly efficient.
When booking an international flight with a connection in Saudi Arabia on either the Saudia or Flynas website, the passenger is prompted to apply for the stopover visa. The necessary information includes:
- A passport with at least six months of remaining validity.
- Confirmed onward flight details and any necessary visa or residence permit for the final destination country.
- A recent passport-sized digital photograph (typically 200x200 pixels, max 20KB).
- Personal and contact details.
Upon completion of the booking and payment of the nominal fees, which currently include a government application fee of approximately SAR 39.50 and mandatory medical insurance starting from around SAR 13, the e-Visa and insurance documents are typically emailed to the traveller instantly, or within a maximum of four hours according to Flynas guidance. The total cost is nominal, generally amounting to less than SAR 55, making the visa itself effectively free.
Expanded E-Visa Eligibility for Longer Tourist and Umrah Stays
Beyond the 96-hour stopover, the Kingdom has significantly broadened its general e-Visa scheme for those planning a longer visit for tourism, family visits, or performing Umrah outside of Hajj season. The Saudi e-Visa is a one-year, multiple-entry visa that allows for a total stay of up to 90 days per visit.
As of 2025, citizens from over 66 countries are eligible to apply for this long-stay e-Visa. This expanded list includes, but is not limited to: all European Union member states, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Ukraine, Malaysia, Maldives, and Seychelles.
Furthermore, special consideration for the long-stay e-Visa is granted to several categories of travellers, regardless of their nationality:
- Permanent Residents of the US, the UK, the European Union, and GCC countries.
- Holders of a valid Schengen, UK, or US visa that has been used at least once to enter the issuing country/region.
Travellers meeting these criteria are typically eligible to apply for the one-year, multiple-entry e-Visa, drastically simplifying the process for millions planning an extended stay for Umrah or tourism. This stopover initiative, coupled with the expanded e-Visa program, represents a major pivot in Saudi Arabia’s accessibility to the world, allowing millions of travellers to effortlessly incorporate a sacred or tourist visit into their global journey.
