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A Saudi citizen does not need a visa for Dubai. u.ae, the UAE government portal, says GCC citizens do not need one, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as visa free. Where you need us is the rest of the party: a wife or child who is not Saudi, a driver, a housemaid, or a friend from another country.
What a Saudi citizen carries
The u.ae page, updated , says passports must be valid for at least six months from the day you enter. Build that into your trip plan. A passport with four months left can cause a problem at the counter even though no visa is involved.
The ID card question comes up often. Abu Dhabi Police posted a directive dated that Saudi citizens may continue to use their ID cards to enter and leave the UAE. Saudipedia, a Saudi reference site, says the national ID card lets citizens enter GCC countries without a passport. Neither page gives a date for current practice, so treat it as a fallback. Take the passport, and have the ID card with you too.
Who needs a visa on a Saudi trip
| Traveller | Visa to the UAE |
|---|---|
| Saudi citizen | None |
| Non-Saudi wife, husband or child | Companion application |
| Domestic worker travelling with the family | Companion application |
| Non-Saudi friend or relative | Visit visa, or the visa of their own passport |
| Expat living in Saudi on an iqama | GCC resident entry visa, see the iqama page |
Most family surprises sit in the second and third rows. Passport nationality decides it, not the family name or the iqama.
Fees for companions
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Service | AED 50 |
| Application | AED 100 |
| Issuance | AED 100 |
Source: ICP service page for companions of GCC citizens, checked . The listed stay is 60 days, with extensions that bring the total up to 120 days. An extension costs AED 100 for the application and AED 500 for the extension, per the ICP extension page.
What Dubai agencies charge
For a non-GCC visitor with no GCC link, Dubai agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). Companion visas are priced differently, so ask for the government fee as its own line.
Iqama holders are a different case
If you live in Saudi Arabia on an iqama and your passport is not Saudi, you are not covered by the GCC citizen rule. The route is the GDRFA entry visa for GCC residents, which depends on the profession printed on your iqama. Read UAE visa for Saudi residents for the fees, the profession check and the exit re-entry visa. People who search "Dubai to Saudi visit visa" mean the other direction, and Saudi visa for UAE residents covers it.
Your embassy
The Saudi embassy in the UAE sits in Abu Dhabi. Its e-services page lists Absher, Najiz, digital services, the KSA Visa service for family and friends visit visas into Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Properties. It does not mention Dubai. Search results show a consulate general in Dubai, which we could not confirm on the pages that open for us, so check the portal before you plan an in-person visit.
Steps for a mixed family trip
- List every traveller by passport nationality.
- Send the passport copies of the non-citizens to us.
- We sort them into companion visas, visit visas or visa-free.
- You get one total price in writing before payment.
- The team files each application and sends the approved visas.
- Print them and keep them with the passports.
Processing and refusals
ICP lists 2 days for these services. Do not book the flight on day one. Typical refusals are a passport with too little validity, a blurred photo, and a worker listed under the wrong sponsor. An overstay costs AED 50 a day.
How it works with us
Send us the passport pages of the non-citizens in your party on WhatsApp or through the form. An adviser tells you who needs what and quotes one total price before you pay. The team prepares and files each application, follows up, and sends you the visas by email. We are a private visa service, and ICP or GDRFA decides every application.
If a visa is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Before payment the adviser tells you in writing what part of the total, if any, comes back in that case.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions: Saudi Arabia listed as visa free
- u.ae entry permit page: GCC citizens, six month passport rule
- ICP companion service: fees and stay
- Abu Dhabi Police notice: ID card entry, an old directive
- Saudi embassy e-services: services listed
More nationalities: Dubai visa by nationality. Family visits: Dubai family visit visa.
