Dubai via Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Saudi?
 

Can this be done? I hear there's such a thing as a transit visa allowing you to spend 48 hours crossing Saudi. And if you get to the UAE, is there a ferry across to Iran?

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If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing to extremes.

Doh, just found a partial answer on arab.net - "People driving between Bahrain, Qatar or the UAE and Jordan are often given seven-day transit visas...but it appears to be the Saudi nature that there are no hard and fast rules regarding transit visas. Stories are legion of individuals who obtain visas in their country of origin only to find them invalid at the Saudi border". Anyone got anything to add?

Hai,

Actualy, I was planning to do the oposite, go from Pakistan to Dubai (just for a few day's, then back again) to visit a friend there. So, i'd be also intrested in story's about this.

Maarten

Peter Forwood's experience (see http://members.ozemail.com.au/~forwoodp/index.html) was that transit visas were only issued to residents of neighbouring countries. So he went from Iran to UAE by boat. A great story!

We tried to get a Saudi visa in Ankara, Turkey 12 months ago, but were told they just don't give them to non-Arabs. I think they are flexible in what they will ask you for (letters of invite etc), but usually the answer is no. However there have been various rumours that they are opening up to tourism etc so someone with more recent experience please chip in

Peter Forwood sent me this: "It is possible to visit Saudi, or at least I have
spoken to two people who have done so.
One aranged it by going to Jordan and geting a new
visa when their usual one month stay expired. The new
visa is for three months and is a residency visa. this
enabled them to get a transit visa to Saudi.
Supposedly a straight forward procedure.
The other one was a brit who had contacts in Saudi and
through them he aranged an invitation on a business
visa. He was travelling for charity and had to give
speeches to get the reason for the visa."

Hi there Nick I live in Dubai and I'm sorry I don't have any info regarding visa's for Saudi but there is a ferry from Dubai to Baderbas (not sure if that's spelt right,you know where I mean, Iran) and also my friend got a lift on a Charter Dive boat from Dibba on the East Coast the boats name is the Charlotte Ann. Skippered by an English guy and I think his Son. Any idea if/when you might be in Dubai? My contact # is 00971505-6540981 Moblie. or send me an e-mail. Same for anyone else needing a bed or somewhere to repair the bike. Take care all hopefully see you all soon. Richard.

Many thanks! Probably won't get to Dubai for at least a year...but I'll try looking you up whenever I do!

Unfortunatly rules changed again. When you want to apply for visa in Jordan for Saudi, you must be a resident with proof of stay of minimal 1 year!
Anyone another suggestion how to obtain a transitvisa to go to the UAE?