Visa to Saudi Arabia for Russians. How to apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia

Citizens of Russia and the CIS require a visa to travel to Saudi Arabia. Only transit, student, work, business and visit visas (visiting relatives), as well as group visas for pilgrims performing Hajj to Mecca (the tour must be organized by companies accredited in Saudi Arabia for organizing Hajj tours).

Tourist visas, both group and individual, are not issued.

Transit visa

A transit visa is issued for traveling through the territory of Saudi Arabia to third countries. For example, to travel from Jordan to Bahrain, Yemen, UAE or Oman by land or by plane.

To obtain a visa you must submit the following documents:

• a foreign passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry into the country;
• a completed application form in English or Russian. The form must be filled out in block letters and corrections are not permitted. All items of the form must be completed. In the paragraph “religion” you should put the actual religion or “Christianity”;
• visa to the country of final destination;
• 2 color photographs 3x4 cm;
• tickets for the entire route. If you plan to travel by car ( Personal car or rental), you must provide a copy of the registration certificate or indicate the number and make of the car in the application form. If you plan to travel by bus, please indicate the name transport agency and route. If possible, provide bus tickets (in practice, this requirement is not realistic);
• for women - a copy of the marriage certificate, or documents confirming the relationship with the man accompanying them on the trip.

Visa requirements

We draw the attention of tourists to the following fact: Saudi Arabia does not issue standard tourist visas. If you want to visit this colorful country, you should submit documents for registration transit visa. However, visas to Saudi Arabia are also available for business or student, including guest, that is, in this case You must have relatives in this country. And one more thing: there are group visas to Saudi Arabia intended for pilgrims. However, these types of tours are organized exclusively by accredited travel agencies.

Applying for a visa to Saudi Arabia

To quickly and easily obtain a visa to Saudi Arabia, carefully read the list of visa documents below. So, you need the following:

· International passport. Let us clarify that in order to obtain a visa to Saudi Arabia, a foreign passport must be valid for six months from the date the tourist crosses the country’s border.

· To apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia, take two photographs. Requirements for photos for a visa to Saudi Arabia: photos must be in color, the size of the cards is 3 by 4 cm. The tone must be light and monochromatic.

· If you would like to apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia, please attach a Saudi Arabia visa application form to the completed package of documents. Let us clarify that the Saudi Arabia visa application form must be filled out in English and Russian. The tourist should fill out all points of the questionnaire for a visa to Saudi Arabia. At the same time, let us clarify that in the “religion” section you can safely indicate the religion that you adhere to.

· Tourists will also need a document confirming their hotel reservation for a visa to Saudi Arabia. This can be either the original document or its photocopy.

· Moreover, to get a visa to Saudi Arabia, you need to have plane tickets or any other transport to this country.

Cost of a visa to Saudi Arabia

Today's consular fee for a visa to Saudi Arabia - $56. You must pay this amount directly when applying for a visa. In addition, the visa center also charges a fee from the traveler; today it amounts to 2,000 rubles.

Saudi Arabia visa validity period

Saudi Arabia visa is valid for 20 days. But you can stay in the country during this time only for three days.

Processing times for a visa to Saudi Arabia

As a rule, you can obtain a visa to Saudi Arabia in 5 days, however, in some cases, the Saudi Arabian Consulate may ask the traveler for some other documents - in this case, the visa processing time will be increased.

Address of the Saudi Arabia Visa Application Center in Moscow

Bolshaya Yakimanka Street, 38a. Organization phone number: 8 495 722 07 90. Documents for a visa to Saudi Arabia are accepted from Mon-Thu from 9 am to 12 pm. The issuance of visas to Saudi Arabia takes place from 13-15 hours.

Visiting Saudi Arabia without visas

If you are a transit tourist and intend to spend 18 hours in the country (no more!), you can visit Saudi Arabia without a visa. In this case, when contacting the immigration officer, present the following:

· International passport. Let us clarify that this document must be valid for at least six months.

· Tickets to the destination country.

· A visa to the country where you are heading.

And further. If you are going outside the airport, you should leave your ID and get a receipt. When you return, you will receive your passport back. However, you should remember that you may not be released - the immigration officer has the final say.

Visa*
* the photo of the visa is given as an example, the visa issued at the embassy may differ from the example

A Russian, like any other foreigner, needs a visa to Saudi Arabia, but obtaining it is not so easy, because this Islamic state is not particularly hospitable. To visit the country you need good reasons. It is very difficult to enter its territory as a tourist: visiting is only possible as part of a group. It is a little easier to get a work or visitor visa. But you will have to present an invitation.

Not every citizen of the Russian Federation can count on receiving permission to enter the country. The authorities are in no hurry to develop sectors of the economy such as tourism. And there is not even such a thing as a “tourist visa” here. If you can come to Saudi Arabia in order to get acquainted with its culture and history, then only as part of a group, which is certainly accompanied by one of the local operators.

One of the most frequently issued visas by the embassy is work visa. To register it, you must obtain permission to conduct labor activity. It is issued by one of the departments of Saudi Arabia that has the appropriate authority to do so. Consultation can be obtained from employees consular service at the embassy.

Quite a lot of foreigners work in the state. Basically, they occupy jobs in the field service, but there are also highly qualified employees.

A citizen traveling to Saudi Arabia for conducting business negotiations or representing someone’s interests on the territory of the state, receives a commercial visa.

If a citizen travels to reunite with his family, he receives a family visa. And to visit the country for the purpose of tourism as part of a group, you should first contact a travel agency in Saudi Arabia, which will be able to organize the trip: provide a guide, control the arrival and departure home. But obtaining permission is very difficult: the embassy will refuse the entire group if any of its members arouses suspicion.

Do pilgrims need a visa to Saudi Arabia? This question arises quite often, since the shrines of the Islamic world - Mecca and Medina - are located on the territory of the state. Only devout Muslims are granted entry permits. certain periods, for example on Hajj.

What documents need to be prepared to obtain an entry permit?

Any visa to Saudi Arabia for Russian citizens is issued with the following documents:

• foreign passport, it’s up to you;
• photocopy general passport– all pages;
• a questionnaire filled out on a special form;
• photographs measuring 40x60 mm – 2 pcs.;
• confirmation of payment of the consular fee;
• travel documents in both directions or reservations for them.

This is the main package of papers that is necessary for any trip. But you will have to attach other documents to it, depending on the type of permit you receive. So, when applying for a work visa (see package of documents for), you should attach a diploma confirming your education. It is also required to prepare a medical certificate confirming the absence of HIV, hepatitis, meningitis and a number of other diseases. If future work assumes the presence driver's license, then you must present them too. The cost of such an entry permit is $14.

A commercial visa to Saudi Arabia for Russians requires an invitation from an organization registered in the state, or a letter from one of the Russian chambers of commerce and industry, which must indicate the details of the applicant for entry and the purpose of the trip. The cost of such a permit is $56-$134.

To obtain a family visa, you will have to present a document confirming your marriage or birth. They must be legalized by the state embassy. It is also necessary to additionally consult with the consulate whether confirmation from the inviting party is needed. Visa cost in this case is $56.

If a child is going on a trip, then it is necessary to provide a document about his birth and a notarized permission from the parents (if they are not accompanying their child). If a child is traveling accompanied by one parent, permission from the other is not required.

When traveling to Saudi Arabia, you should first familiarize yourself with the customs and rules of the country. Special attention You need to pay attention to manners of communication, clothing. Thus, it is necessary to cover the arms and legs even of men, and even more so of women. It is impossible to discuss the methods of government in the state and its structure. Other people's principles should be respected.

Visa-free entry into the country

Russians may not need a visa to visit Saudi Arabia. This applies to transit passengers traveling through the territory of the state to other countries. But there are a number of nuances that you should be aware of if you have to make a transfer at an airport in the country:

• if less than 18 hours pass between arrival and departure flights, then you do not need to issue an entry permit;
• if you have to stay at the airport for less than 6 hours, then the person has no right to leave special zone for transit passengers;
• V in some cases You can still leave the transit zone, but only with the permission of an airport employee;
• A passenger whose clothing does not comply with the country’s standards does not have the right to leave the transit zone.

It must be remembered that women in Islamic state special attitude. Airport employees will not allow a woman traveling unaccompanied by a male relative to leave the transit zone. In order to leave the transit zone, a woman must present to airport employees a document confirming her relationship with the man accompanying her.

The state of Saudi Arabia is a real kingdom. Moreover, it is the largest in its territory among the other countries of the Arabian Peninsula. It is Saudi Arabia that has such popular places of pilgrimage for Muslims as Mecca and Medina.

The country's borders are approximately Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, and its direct neighbors are Yemen, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman. The capital of Saudi Arabia is marked on the map as Riyadh. It is from here that the bulk of the world's oil products are exported.

The country is ruled by a theocracy, that is, religion prevails over secular principles. Islam plays a major role in the lives of residents. Almost the entire territory is covered with deserts with small mountainous areas, which is not so attractive for modern tourists. However, obtaining a visa is not an easy task either.

Tourist visa

In fact, not everyone can obtain a visa to Saudi Arabia. The government does not consider it necessary to develop the tourism industry. That's why get tourist visa It is impossible to travel to Saudi Arabia both for Russian citizens and for the rest of the people of our planet, because it simply does not exist. Neither in individually, nor in a group. Exceptions will be made in advance organized groups, which will have to be accompanied by representatives of local operators, but this option is extremely rare.

This amazing fact, because the country is home to one of the most beautiful seas - the Red Sea, which is wildly popular in Egypt. But maybe one day the authorities will come to their senses and decide to use these wonderful resources for the construction of fashionable hotels. In general, a visa to Saudi Arabia for individual travelers who love to explore this world as savages is still a dream.

What visas are available

Visas to Saudi Arabia for Russian citizens are available in the following options:

• Student.
• Business.
• Transit.
• Workers.
• Guest (only if the person has direct relatives in the state).

To obtain the above entry documents, applicants should contact the embassy or consulate, as well as the Saudi Arabian visa center in Moscow. But, in addition to collecting documents, the applicant needs to be prepared for an interview with a diplomatic official. Moreover, if a person answers provocative questions about the tourist destination positively, then, most likely, he will be denied a visa to Saudi Arabia.

Plus, the embassy initially has the right to refuse an applicant without explanation. By the way, before departure, you should familiarize yourself with the rules of staying in cities, especially for women and their attire.

Visa-free option

Despite such strict rules In issuing visas, you can enter Saudi Arabia without obtaining a document allowing you to cross the state border. This option is possible if the person has a layover that does not exceed a period of eighteen hours, but in the case of a layover of less than six hours, the passenger is officially prohibited from leaving the transit zone. It’s good that you can find workarounds everywhere, for example, negotiate with an airport employee. True, you should be wearing the right clothes - that is, those that will cover the main parts of the body, as prescribed in Islam.

When leaving the airport, an employee collects the passenger's identification card and gives it back upon the traveler's return.

But a woman traveling without a male escort is, in principle, prohibited from leaving the transit hall, and can only go beyond it with a male relative. Airport staff will require you to present a document proving your relationship.

What documents are required to obtain a visa?

To open any type of visa, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Russia requires the same package of documents:

• International passport with a copy of the first page (where basic information about the applicant is indicated).
• A completed visa application form, which can be downloaded from the official website of the Saudi Arabian representative office in Russia. You can use both English and Russian, and for Arabic experts, that too. You can enter information not only by hand, but also on a computer.
• Two photographs 4 by 6 cm.
• Letter of invitation from the party who will host the applicant in Saudi Arabia.

A similar package of documents is collected for children, plus a birth certificate and a personal foreign passport. If a child travels with one of the parents, then it is provided official permission for export, translated and certified by a notary. The same scheme applies if the child is accompanied by third parties.

Additional documents

Upon registration study visa The foreign passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of application. The host university provides an official document confirming the applicant’s enrollment. The student himself provides a certificate, birth certificate, medical certificate and paper indicating the presence or absence of a criminal record. For medical certificate the student must be tested for HIV, hepatitis A, B, C, meningitis, encephalitis and other dangerous infections.

For a business visa, the applicant attaches a document from his permanent place work, which indicates the position, salary, information about the type of activity of the company, the date of taking up the position and the purpose of the trip to Saudi Arabia.

For getting commercial visa the applicant provides a certificate with workplace, and the company that invites him - a registration card.

How to get a visa to Saudi Arabia if a person has relatives living there? Primarily for families entry document you will need proof of paper family ties. Plus, the receiving party provides a certificate of registration and their identity card.

Religious Pilgrimage Visa

There are usually no tours to Saudi Arabia from Moscow with a tourist focus, but there are religious ones. Russian Muslims who wish to perform the Hajj take part in them. Usually such pilgrimage trips are organized by special religious associations, with offices throughout the world.

To obtain a visa for such a case, you need to contact an organization recognized by the BCA. In fact, the Hajj is a rather expensive event, but a visa for such a group tour will be easier to obtain, and there will be fewer questions at the interview.

Obtaining a transit visa

When a person uses a Saudi airport as a transit hub for one to three days, he should apply for a transit visa. However, the embassy has the right to refuse this option too. Review of documents takes place within five days, and you must provide the following:

• A foreign passport that will be valid for another six months after the end of the trip.
• Visa application form, which, by the way, has a clause about the applicant’s religion.
• A visa to a third country, if required for Russian citizens.
• Tickets to a third country.
• Two photographs in color.
• A receipt indicating payment of the consular fee.

If a woman submits documents, then mandatory She will be required to have a marriage certificate or a document confirming her relationship with her male escort. A single woman will not be issued a visa.

Features of a work visa

It is easier to obtain a work visa for Russians, since in this case partners from Saudi Arabia vouch for the applicant by sending an official invitation for employment on their behalf. This letter certified by the chamber of commerce and industry of the region where the enterprise is registered. If the business is just getting started, and for its development it is necessary to attract work force from the outside, then the inviting party takes confirmation from the same chamber of commerce and industry about the importance and necessity of the Russian’s visit.

To obtain a work permit, the following is added to the entire above folder with documents: a diploma confirming qualifications (translated and notarized), as well as driver's license, if the car will be a constant companion foreign worker.

Registration cost

Perhaps, a separate item It is worth indicating how much a visa to Saudi Arabia costs and additional fees. So, it will depend on what type of visa the person is applying for. For example, commercial single entry visa costs 180 dollars (more than 11 thousand rubles), and a reusable one costs 300 (almost 19 thousand). A single-entry business visa costs 55 dollars (3.5 thousand rubles), and a multiple-entry visa costs 140 (about 9 thousand rubles). Family or visit visa costs $180. Work Visa- 15 dollars (950 rubles), but the student one is free. Visa fees- 65 dollars (4 thousand rubles).

But, in addition to the above amounts, there is also a fee for entering and leaving the country. In the first option, the person at the border gives 533 American dollars (33.7 thousand rubles), and in the second - 53 (3350 rubles). By the way, having Israeli visa, you can face almost one hundred percent failure. The applicant’s stated religion also plays a large role in the refusal. Do not forget that Saudi Arabia is a fairly conservative Islamic country.

Visa center in Moscow

In order to apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia, you should visit the visa center of this country in Moscow. It is located at the address: Bolshaya Yakimanka Street, building 38A, fourth entrance, first floor.

Office hours: Monday to Friday - from 9 am to 15:00, from lunch break for an hour from 12:00. At the same time, visa applications are accepted from 9:30 to noon, and issuance ready-made documents- from 9:30 to 15:00.

Get to visa center You can take the metro, choosing one of the listed stations as your final station: Oktyabrskaya metro station, Polyanka metro station. And all detailed information You should learn about the work of the center on its official website. But it is worth remembering that visa center employees also do not guarantee approval for receiving an entry document, it all depends on last word embassy officer.