transit/tourist visa for Saudi Arabia...where to start?
 

My car and I will arrive in Durban in a few weeks, plan is to drive North from there. I'm considering once I get to Sudan to cross into Saudi Arabia then UAE then Iran. Where do I start with regards to getting a visa to enter Saudi Arabia? Is there a Saudi embassy in sudan or Addis?

Thanks
CM

There is one in Sudan, don't know about Ethiopia.

saudi trnsit visa problem
 

i recently left UAE and am now in Iran having a great time

I originally tried to get a transit visa for my wife and I to cross Saudi to Jordan and on to Syria. I have done this twice before some years ago but this time I was told by the visa issuing office that Transit Visas were no longer being issued to non Arabs because of personal security risk after the spat of Al Qaida attacks a few years ago.

So,I have come to Iran instead and we are having a great time. Warm friendly people where ever we go and massive things to do and see.

Yes, I read that it's no longer possible to get transit visa to go to Jordan overland because some people were killed in that region. Hopefully there no such ban for travel from Sudan to UAE. I guess that Roaming Yak is correct and I'll only find out when I get to Sudan and visit the Embassy.

Hi, any update on this?
Cheers.

I spent the last year in Saudi and looked into this. Unless you're from one of the neighboring countries, Saudi won't give transit visas or tourist visas.

I offered my place to a couple bikers making their way up Africa. They said all the Saudi embassies said no problem. When they got to the last embassy, they were told no.

Where you working in Saudi? I'm sure if I bought a bike there I could take it out. Have you actually used the visa? How did the bike make it to Jeddah?

Asking in Saudi got me nowhere, and neither did other motorcyclists who tried.

Thanks. I was working so I didn't look very hard on how to bring a bike in. Maybe I'll see you in Portugal. I just received dual citizenship with Portugal and once I get my citizenship card and passport, I'm riding out that way. I guess a month or so.

Biker from Norway was refused a Saudi transit visa at the Khartoum Embassy a few days ago.

Roamingyak - could you go into a bit more detail about the stress you had with the Saudi embassy in Khartoum please? And how you convinced them to give you the visa?
We're headed in the same direction and will be needing a transit visa for Jeddah-Aqaba (I had been hoping to get at least 5 days as we're so slow and it's over 1000km).

Anyone else with recent Saudi South-North transit visas?

Thanks,
Ian

Thanks for the info Roamingyak, it gives me a great deal more confidence to start the long trek north!
We seem to tick all the boxes - LHD Unimog, married, over 45 etc etc. And we only want to get to Jordan, nowhere else!
We're aiming to be up there by next Jan/Feb to avoid the real heat.

Ian

UAE via KSA to Bahrain
 

Do any of you guys have an idea on the following.
I am wanting to buy a R1200GSA in Dubai and ride it back to Bahrain where I live, via Saudi. Any idea of the paperwork/docs required for the trip ?

Hi Ian
We're living in Jeddah.
Let me know, if you need any assistance or "tourguide" for Jeddah.
You are more than welcome at our place.
Don't miss to visit Mada'in Saleh (the Saudi Petra) on your way north.
Need a permit for it.

Volker

Volker,

Can I piggyback on this thread to ask if you know what the situation is for tourists entering Jeddah at the moment?

I'm a UK PP holder with a full UAE residence visa, living in Dubai.... my folks are UK PP holders who will be visiting me in late Jan / early Feb

We'd like to travel to Jeddah for a long weekend but I've read so much conflicting info on visas that I've almost given up!!

You can get a Saudi transit visa in Khartoum, though it might sometines need a second try. Mine was rejected first for no apparent reason and only approved after talking to the consul.

The consulate staff will send you to an agency nearby to do the paperwork. They do the application through a special software. Khaled Medawi of K.M.Z. was very helpful, though quite expensive (I can't really compare the rates but his was 400 Sudanese Pounds which equals more than 300 Saudi Riyals while the stamp on the visa indicates a visa fee of just 50 Saudi Riyals). The K.M.Z. office is in the same side street of the consulate's entrance, some 50 meters on the right hand side (see pic of entrance below).

The procedure usually takes two to three days, so if possible arrive early in the week avoid the weekend!

You definitely need to have a LHD car. The consul and the agency ask this very clearly!

You also need an onward visa, i.e. Jordan or UAE (if you want to continue through Iran). Your passport needs to have at least one free DOUBLE PAGE (one page for the visa, one for the stamp of fees).

Couples travelling together need a marriage certificate.

All the rest is the usual (2 passport pictures plus copies of the car papers, the carnet, your passport, etc.). The agency will tell you exactly.

The visa very clearly states the country of destination, though no precise border crossing. So make sure it is the right one!

Greetings from Khartoum
Achim

Joachim,

thanks for a very concise and helpful guide! I'm sure it will help us and others.
We've put a delay in our travels and stored the vehicle for a few months, so we won't be in Sudan until November/ December 2013 now:frown:.

Thanks again, Ian

Sorry I might have missed it but were all the visa hassles for Saudi just for 4wheel drive cars? Is it easier to get a bike and tourist visa rather than a car and tourist visa?

Thanks for the help!

Shit, there goes that idea. I'm trying to get to India via Turkey and the Middle East this spring. I needed Saudi to make it work.

Any advice would be much appreciated!!!

Saudi - no thanks
 

I work in Saudi and can tell you this
1. You have to get a letter of invitation from someone within the Saudi
2. You have to apply for visa in your country of residence
3. You have to complete the online regsitration process through Enjaz first, pay 130$# USD then go to the embassy to complete the visa application you will need a copy of your passport and travel documents then you will have to wait a min 10 working days.
4. Tourist visas are not available, only through registered travel agancies who are responosible for you durring your stay.


Saudi is the most unfriendly place who hate westerners and will try to run you off the road, its the most islamic nation so their laws are enforced also weomen cannot drive, are treated badly.

You would need to apply for a driving licence which they will not give you.

You cannot even swim in the sea except in special beaches, there is nothing to do as fun is not allowed.

People only go there to work(petrol industry) or visit the mosque if you are islamic

Try to miss this if you can its not worth the grief!!

The only one good thing, petrol is cheap I filled my 65L petrol tank up under 10$

P.S
Go to Bahrain its more western and easier to live in just pop over the causway into saudi if you have the permits or take a toursit trip.

Dear RoadTrekker,

I don't know what exactly your point or message is. But your post is a mix of misguiding and partly wrong information and highly prejudiced and useless personal hatred against Saudi Arabia.

Firstly, your info about visa does not help because it is worthless for "normal" travellers. Most travellers will limit their stay in Saudi Arabia to the usual transit time of three days. The way to get a transit visa has been described above.

There are ways to get a visitors visa which de facto means a tourist visa if you are invited by a Saudi organisation or institution or by a foreigner living in Saudi Arabia. I have met a few tourists during my transit through Saudi Arabia. They were in the country as private visitors and no travel agency was involved! So your point 4. is just completely wrong!

The rest is just awful! It goes without saying that Saudi Arabia's human rights and womens rights record is disgusting. But to state that all Saudis hate Westerners and try to run you off the road is equally utter nonsense! Some youngsters who have too much testosterone are driving in a crazy way - OK, but you meet these guys in most countries of the region. Many other Saudis are friendly, others are just shy to talk to you because they have no experience in dealing with foreigners and / or don't speak English.

As a tourist you don't need a driving licence and nobody even cares whether you have a national or an international driving licence. I have stayed in Saudi Arabia for only three days and met a number of people who have stayed for decades in Saudi Arabia with no relation whatsoever to the petrol industry.

That women are treated in an unacceptable way goes without saying. But travelling in Saudi Arabia has been really interesting and much easier and more rewarding than expected. May be you should give it a try before judging the country.

No traveller can go to Bahrain without transiting Saudi Arabia. So this idea is equally nonsense.

Sad to see a posting like this!

Greetings
Achim

Motorcycle
 

I would like to have some up to date clarification on whether or not we can apply for the Saudi Arabia Transit Visa if we are crossing on motorcycles.

Thank you,

CapeTownNorth.com.au

HI CapeTownNorth
 

Hi
for sure it’s not possible as they are not issuing transit visa on Bikes for foreigners.
the only option you have is either ship the bike throw sea or air fright from Sudan or Ethiopia to Dubai, UAE if you are coming from their side.
then you can enter Iran and from their up to Europe.
Please contact me if you need additional info's
i will read your webpage now
Regards
Saleh

I spent a year in Saudi and I'm American (which means your methods may vary). If you're not from one of the neighboring countries and Muslim, Saudi won't give you a transit visa. They might tell you that it's possible in other countries at consulate offices and embassies, but when it comes down to it, they'll say no.

I hadn't tried, but I'm on Couchsurfing and I'd let people on HU know that if they got in, I could put them up. My story comes from people who tried to take me up on the offer.

Hi Dave
Does this apply to a RH overland vehicle(4x4) as well.
I have heard that one can get a transit visa through a tried and trusted person in Khartoum, he can organise visas ferry booking and transport for right hand drive vehicles. Others have used him with no problems.

Any idea of what would all this entail in terms of cost, custom clearance and lorry for transit?

I'm not sure if you can bring in stuff with 4 wheels. Saudi doesn't like foreign visitors except during Ramadan. Even then it's Muslim only and it's limited numbers (something like 10% of overall Muslims per country).

We had a teacher who said he was Muslim even though he wasn't. I have no idea how they check that and back to being a resident of a neighboring country.

Sorry, not much help here.

Hello

Does anyone have any recent information on getting a transit visa for Saudi Arabia and crossing by motorbike?

I met a Dutch couple (2globetrotters - ga met ons mee op wereldreis) a few weeks who got there's in Muscat in 2013, but they were driving a 4x4.

Any info would be great. Thanks

Mark

fishernz@gmail.com

Hi Mark,

I am sure that you have just overlooked the abundant information concerning your question on this thread and elsewhere like this one only a few postings up :innocent:

This is true and has been true kind of forever. The same is true for RHD vehicles.

Nevertheless, it is not true what Dave Smith has written (and I am surprised that no other HUBBer has rectified it in the meantime): Saudi Arabia does issue transit visa - the problem is: where and how?

In general, it is easier to get a transit visa in your country of origin (as is today the case in the majority of countries, including Europe for Africans, Arabs, or other non-Europeans!). This usually proves difficult or impossible for long-term overlanders.

Then, the embassy in Khartoum obviously still provides visa for people taking the ferry from Suakin to Jeddah and further to Jordan. Since few people have other destinations than Jordan, information is hard to get.

By contrast, the embassy in Abu Dhabi today usually only provides transit visa for RESIDENTS (not nationals or Muslims as Dave said). Very rarely have travellers recently succeeded in getting the transit visa here. A recommendation letter from the traveller's own embassy is necessary (which Germany, for example, refuses to issue pointing to an agreement with KSA).

End of 2012, I was told by the Saudi consulate in Amman, Jordan, that they would issue a transit visa for any destination country other than Sudan (I was a resident in Jordan at the time, though). I have not come across any updated info from this consulate since.

I am sure that Dave has not referred to transit visa but to normal visitors' visa which are indeed next to impossible to obtain unless you are invited by a Saudi or a foreigner resident in the country.

Greetings,
Achim

Hi Achim,

I don't mean to misinform. I only know what I saw, but I'm hopeful there's a way in. I was talking about transit visas as well as tourist visas.

I had a few non-Muslim folks from HU who wanted to stay at my place when I was there. No one was able to get a transit visa or tourist visa. They would be told "Yes, no problem but you need to pick it up at another embassy/consulate closer to KSA" and when it came down to it, "Sorry, no".

I was told by Saudis if you were from a neighboring country that they'd give a transit or tourist visa. I saw a lot of cars/pick-up trucks from UAE, Yemen and Oman and where I was, the only traffic I should've seen should have only been from Yemen.

I was also told that KSA keeps a tight lid on tourist visas and they're offered to 10% of whatever countries Muslim population. I had a few non-Muslim co-workers who couldn't get their wives into the country, but a few that did (took months). One had an open offer of 10,000 riyals to grease the wasta wheels, but no luck.

I'd love to hear from someone who got into Saudi and would love details.

Dave

Hi all,

The beginning of this month I traveled from Qatar to UAE on motorcycle, transiting via KSA. No problem for me obtaining a transit visa and the check-points at each border crossing were quick and efficient.

Nice job, Ben!

Would you share some details?

Where did you get the transit visa? How much did it cost? What country is your bike registered? Do you have a Gulf Coast ID card? Are you Muslim?

If you're around the Middle East, I'm in Oman for the next year or two. No bike here yet, but I have an open bed, plenty of parking, and a liquor license.

Loooong time ago (1979 when i lived in Umm Said / Mesaieed) I went from Qatar to UAE in a car and on the visa it was stated (in Arabic) that the visa was only valid for going to UAE and it was only valid for a very short time (a few hours?). Is this still the case?

Edit:
I just found this old map and it reminds me of two factors:
-The border between UAE and Saudi is still disputed
-The distance you cover in Saudi is very short (25km?)

My guess is that it's easier to get the visa if you go from Qatar to UAE because it's a short distance and there is nowhere else to go on the route.

http://actiontouring.com/pic/saudimap.jpg

I obtained the transit visa in Qatar, a local agency (+974 44929224 / info@durramakkah.com), it took roughly a week and the cost was 150 Qatar Riyals. My bike is registered in Qatar, I have a residency here and non-muslim. The visa was valid for 3 days and roundtrip option. I have had friends who have transited to Jordan, so the final destination would not be an issue.

I had a friend, non-resident who was going to join me (two-up) and it was no problem for him to do obtain a transit visa as well (but only one way for non-gulf residents).

Here is a good link for further information on the transit: http://www.qnhg.org/files/wpro_share...0by%20road.pdf

FYI, I did the transit in the night, some sections of the road weren't that well lit, but otherwise all was good! Now in Greece ;)

Thanks a lot of the name and email address. I'm contacting this agency. Hope they still exist, and hope transit is still possible (by car). What kind of reason did you give for driving through Saudi instead of flying?

Any answer from the agency?
 

Hi yirara!

Let us know if everything works for you...

we are planning to go overland from europe to sout africa. Your information can really help us.

cheers.

Nothing new as of yet. Also no answer from the agency above. I guess I need to call them. But I have other things on my mind at the moment.

But anyway, I'm working on friends to convince them to do a car trip to Bahrain or UAE in autumn as they did those trips in the past and have taken passengers along. Thus it seems to be possible after all.

I'm currently in Sudan, trying to find a good way back home to Europe. As I'm riding a motorbike, it won't be possible to get a transit visa.
On my way through Africa I've seen a number of overland trucks with small scooters/bikes strapped to the back or inside the truck. Could this be an option? Find a fellow overlander who's taking the ferry to Jiddah, team up and share all costs?

It really comes down to this question: Is it forbidden to ride bikes in KSA or is it firbidden to (temporarily) import them?

Thanks a lot! If you have any information or if you're on your way up, please feel free to contact me!

I was in Sudan June 2014 on a bike and was trying to get back to the UK overland. I wanted to go through Saudi Arabia, but was told NO BIKES allowed and there was a big visible sign on the board outside the Saudi embassy in Khartoum saying no bikes allowed in their country. You can take your bike to Saudi Arabia but you will not be able to ride it there, you will have to load it on a lorry at point of entry and have it back at the point of exit.:thumbdown:

I ended up air shipping the bike.....I had a good price.:clap:

That would be good news actually. Whether I put it on a lorry or a Landrover/Overlander Truck shouldn't make a difference. On Sunday I'll see the consul...

If you're headed north and you're thinking about crossing from Port Sudan to Jiddah, please contact me. Either here or on facebook (www.facebook.com/stevenslittleride) or via email (hofmann1steven@gmail.com). Even if you've only heard of people going that way, it might help me a lot.

Thanks!!

Would you mind sharing the price including all port fees/taxes? Which company did you use and what bike were you riding? Thanks a lot!

Have a look at this: (and remember these prices were for big bikes as I understand that you are on a small one)
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-saudi-71189-5