Saudi Arabia visa: If you plan to visit Saudi Arabia or go on Haj, you will now have to pay more.
Saudi Arabia has approved doubling the fees for expatriates for exit and re-entry visas and residency permits or Iqama.
This news has come to the fore by quoting Gulf News. Iqama is a residence proof for expatriates living in Saudi Arabia, which they must carry when they leave home or work.
There is a provision of a heavy fine in Saudi Arabia for not doing so.
How much is the re-entry visa fee
Gulf News quoted a local newspaper as saying that according to the new amendments, the fee for an exit or re-entry visa has been raised to SR 200 (about Rs 4,400) for a maximum of two months of travel at a time.
If the expatriate is within the Kingdom, an additional 100 Riyals must be paid for each other month. Moneycontrol could not independently verify this news.
What happened on Iqama
The report states that if the expatriate is outside Saudi Arabia and the Iqama is still valid, the fee doubles for every additional month.
The fee is 500 riyals, i.e., Rs 10,993 for multiple visits over three months. If the expatriate is within the Kingdom, an additional 200 riyals must be paid for each other month.
Suppose the expatriate is outside the Kingdom within the validity of the Iqama, the fee doubles for each additional month. Nothing has been mentioned about the previous fees.
How much is the fee for the permit
An amendment to Iqama, published in Saudi Arabia’s Gazette Umm Al Qura, states that permits for expatriate dependents and
domestic workers from outside the Kingdom can be renewed through the Ministry of Interior’s portal for a double fee.
