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Yes, you can get a Saudi visa as a UAE resident without going to the embassy. Visit Saudi says GCC residents can apply for the tourist visa as an eVisa. It is multiple entry, valid for one year, and allows a total stay of 90 days. Health insurance is built into the fee, and the visa lets you perform Umrah outside the Hajj season.
Three ways in from the UAE
Saudi Arabia gives UAE expats more than one door. Which one suits you depends on what you already hold.
1. GCC resident eVisa. Your UAE residence is the basis. You apply online at visa.visitsaudi.com, or through the embassy if you prefer. For most expats without a Western visa, this is the starting point.
2. US, UK or Schengen visa holders. If you hold a valid tourist or business visa from the US, the UK or a Schengen country, Visit Saudi says you can get the tourist visa on arrival.
3. UK, US or EU permanent residents. The same on-arrival route is open to you.
Some media guides add conditions for route 1, such as a minimum time left on the residence or an occupation check. The Visit Saudi FAQ does not list them. The eVisa form does the checking, and we look at your details against it before you pay.
Fees and validity
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa | Tourist visa, issued as an eVisa |
| Entries | Multiple |
| Validity | 1 year |
| Stay | Up to 90 days in total |
| Health insurance | Included in the eVisa fee |
| Official fee | "Varies", shown in the form |
Source: Visit Saudi visa regulations FAQ, page updated , checked .
The official page does not print a fixed price, and media figures differ. We will not guess. You see the exact amount in the form.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 530 to AED 1,100 for a Saudi tourist visa (published prices of 6 Dubai agencies, checked ). Some quote the one-year multiple entry visa and others a shorter single entry product, so line up like with like.
Umrah from Dubai on the tourist visa
People in the UAE often search for an "Umrah visa from Dubai". For most, the tourist eVisa is the answer. Visit Saudi says you can use it to perform Umrah, but not during the Hajj season. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah also allows holders of all visa types to perform Umrah while in the Kingdom.
What you still need:
- An Umrah permit on Nusuk. The visa lets you in. The Nusuk platform gives you the permit for Umrah or Ziyarah.
- The right dates. Plan around the Hajj season, when the tourist visa cannot be used for Umrah.
- A Hajj visa for Hajj. The tourist visa never covers it.
Because the visa is multiple entry for a year, families who do Umrah more than once can reuse it, within the 90-day total.
Documents for the GCC resident eVisa
- Passport, with clear scans of the photo page.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
- Personal photo as the form asks.
- For family members: their passports, residence details and whatever the form asks to show the relation. Only first-degree family can be added.
- For route 2: a copy of your valid US, UK or Schengen tourist or business visa.
Processing time
Visit Saudi does not publish a processing time for the eVisa. Do not book non-refundable flights before the visa is issued. Before Ramadan and school holidays, apply early.
Why Saudi eVisas get refused or stuck
- Residence details typed wrong, for example the Emirates ID number or expiry.
- Passport and residence on different passports, after a renewal where the UAE record was not updated.
- Family added who are not first-degree, such as a brother or cousin. They need their own application.
- Trying to use the tourist visa for Hajj. That is not allowed.
How it works with us
Send your passport, Emirates ID and travel plans on WhatsApp, or fill in the form on this page. A visa adviser confirms which of the three routes fits and whether Umrah is in your plan. You get one total price for everyone travelling before you pay. The team completes the eVisa form, adds your family from the account, pays the fee and sends you the visa once it is issued. If you need help with the Nusuk step, the adviser explains it. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. Saudi authorities decide every visa.
If the eVisa is refused, the Saudi fee is not returned by the authorities. You get, in writing and before payment, the part of our total that would be returned to you in that case, if any.
Next pages
Heading on to other Gulf countries? See the Qatar visa for UAE residents, the Kuwait visa for UAE residents and the Bahrain visa for UAE residents. For Oman by road, read Oman visa for UAE residents. Other countries that give a visa at the airport are on visa on arrival for UAE residents.
Official sources
- Visit Saudi, visa regulations: GCC residents, family members, US, UK and Schengen holders, validity, stay, insurance, Umrah rule.
- Saudi eVisa portal: where to apply.
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: Umrah allowed on all visa types.
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