Saudi Arabia Visa for UAE Residents: eVisa Guide

Quick answer: A Saudi visa for UAE residents is normally applied for online, with no appointment and no embassy visit. According to Visit Saudi’s visa requirements checker, residents of GCC countries qualify for the tourist eVisa whatever their nationality, provided the UAE residence visa has at least three months left beyond arrival and the passport has at least six months. You apply on the official eVisa portal, and Umrah is allowed on a visit visa outside the Hajj season. Emirati citizens need no visa. Visa Doctor is not an embassy, consulate or visa centre.

Saudi visa from Dubai: where you actually apply

Many people searching for a “Saudi visa from Dubai” expect to visit an embassy or visa centre. For the tourist visit visa that is usually not how it works. Saudi Arabia’s tourist eVisa is issued online through the official portal at visa.visitsaudi.com, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs a separate visa site at ksavisa.sa for visit visa categories. You complete the application, pay, and receive the eVisa electronically.

Because there is no appointment in this route, we do not book one for you. What we can do is prepare and check your information before you submit it. Other visa types, such as work or residence visas, follow different procedures and are outside this guide.

Who qualifies as a UAE resident

Visit Saudi’s checker sets out several routes. The one that matters for most people living in the UAE is the GCC resident route.

• GCC residents: residents of any GCC country qualify for the tourist eVisa. Per the checker, you need a residence visa valid for at least three months beyond your entry date and a passport valid for at least six months beyond entry.
• Eligible nationalities: passport holders of countries on Saudi Arabia’s eVisa list can apply directly on the eVisa. The portal describes this list as covering dozens of countries.
• Visa on arrival: Visit Saudi says this is for people who used a US, UK or Schengen tourist or business visa with an entry stamp, or who are permanent residents of the US, UK or EU. It is not available on GCC residency alone.
• GCC nationals: citizens of GCC states, including the UAE, need no visa and can travel on a passport or GCC ID.

The checker asks about residence, passport and nationality. It does not ask for a job title, so older guides that list eligible professions for GCC residents may be out of date.

Tourist visit, Umrah and other visit visas

The tourist eVisa covers tourism, events, leisure and family visits. Visit Saudi’s portal also says it allows Umrah, which is the lesser pilgrimage, and excludes Hajj and activities such as study. Visit Saudi states that Umrah on a visit visa is allowed outside the Hajj season, which it defines as 15 Dhul Qadah to 15 Dhul Hijjah, and that Umrah is booked through the Nusuk platform. It also states that no mahram is needed, that the holy city of Makkah is for Muslims only, and that Madinah is open to all.

The Ministry’s site also lists a business visit category and a family and friends visit category. For business, the Ministry’s page describes an invitation letter, or details of your work if you have no invitation, and says the visa is not tied to a permanent job. The terms of the tourist eVisa also state that it does not permit paid work. Check the category page on ksavisa.sa that matches your purpose before you start.

Step by step for UAE residents

• Step 1. Run the Visit Saudi visa requirements checker with your nationality and the GCC resident option. It tells you which route applies.
• Step 2. Check your documents: a passport with at least six months beyond your entry date, and a UAE residence visa with at least three months beyond entry. If your residence is close to renewal, renew it first.
• Step 3. Open visa.visitsaudi.com by typing the address yourself, and start the application.
• Step 4. Enter your personal and passport details exactly as printed in the passport, and upload what the form asks for.
• Step 5. Pay the fee online. Visit Saudi states that fees are non-refundable.
• Step 6. Receive the eVisa and keep a copy. The terms advise carrying one, because biometrics are taken on arrival and entry remains at the officer’s discretion.

First degree relatives can be added from the applicant’s account after the application has been submitted, according to Visit Saudi’s FAQ. Applicants under 18 follow a separate rule, under which a parent applies first.

Fees and insurance

The checker shows a GCC resident eVisa fee of SAR 339.44, with the application fee included but medical insurance not included. The insurance is priced by the provider and added during the application. For nationals on the eligible list, the checker shows SAR 395 with insurance included. A single entry GCC resident visa is valid for three months with stays of up to 90 days, and a multiple entry visa is valid for one year with up to 90 days per visit. Fees and validity change, so read the figures on the portal at the time you apply.

How long it takes

The Ministry’s tourism page lists a service time of one minute to three business days. That is the Ministry’s own figure, not a promise from us, and a refused application or a request for more information can take longer. Apply early and avoid buying non-refundable tickets until you hold the eVisa.

Common mistakes

• A residence visa that is too close to expiry. It needs at least three months beyond your entry date.
• A passport with under six months left. Renew it before applying.
• Expecting visa on arrival on residency alone. The checker does not offer it for GCC residents on that basis.
• Using the eVisa for work. The terms say it does not permit paid work.
• Trying to extend it. The terms say the eVisa cannot be extended.
• Using a lookalike website. Start from the official portal and pay only there.

How Visa Doctor helps

Visa Doctor is a licensed Dubai visa documentation and appointment agency. We are not an embassy, consulate or visa centre. For Saudi Arabia we confirm which route your passport and residence fall under, check your passport and residence validity before you pay, and prepare your details so the form is accurate. There is no appointment in the eVisa route, and we never promise approval, because Saudi authorities decide. Read our full Saudi Arabia visa from Dubai guide, compare the Qatar visa from Dubai route, or see our visa services in Dubai.

Sources and last checked

Last checked: September 2026 against Visit Saudi’s visa requirements checker and FAQ, the eVisa terms and conditions at visa.visitsaudi.com, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa site ksavisa.sa. The portals did not display fully for our October 2026 review, so please confirm fees, validity and conditions on the official pages before you pay. Details about Saudi missions in the UAE are not included because we could not verify them.

This guide is part of our embassies, consulates and visa centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi hub, which lists every country guide in one place.

Frequently asked questions