Saudi Family Visit Visa: Requirements and Application
A Saudi family visit visa lets a citizen or resident sponsor relatives for a temporary stay. The sponsor applies through the MOFA portal, and the visitor submits documents at a Saudi embassy. Nationals of 14 specific countries currently face a single-entry-only restriction that has been in place since mid-2025.
Do This Next:
- Confirm your Iqama or National ID meets the sponsor validity requirement
- Check whether your visitor’s nationality falls under the 14-country restriction
- Apply through the MOFA portal, then have the visitor submit documents at a Saudi mission
Who Can Sponsor a Family Visit Visa in KSA?
Three categories of sponsor exist, and each has slightly different requirements.
Saudi citizens sponsor using their National ID, and can invite a spouse, children, parents, and in-laws. Expatriate residents sponsor using a valid Iqama. Most need at least three months of remaining validity, though some embassies require six. A company-sponsored invitation follows a different route entirely, covered in the business visit visa guide.
Since a 2026 platform update, domestic worker sponsors can also approve family visit requests directly. This runs through the MOFA website’s “Ratify Individuals Applications” service, a route that did not exist before.
The Saudi Family Visit Visa Application Process
The sponsor and the visitor each complete a separate half of this process.
- The sponsor logs in to the MOFA portal at visa.mofa.gov.sa
- The sponsor submits an invitation request with the visitor’s details
- The visitor receives the invitation reference
- The visitor submits documents at the nearest Saudi embassy or consulate
- The embassy issues the visa once approved
Processing commonly takes 3 to 7 business days. This is considerably slower than the tourist eVisa, which often clears within hours.
Cost and Standard Duration
Two entry types exist, at two different price points.
| Entry Type | Cost (SAR) | Typical Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Single-entry | 300 | Around 30 days |
| Multiple-entry | 500 | Up to 90 days per visit |
Source: Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Verified: September 2026
These are the standard terms for unrestricted nationalities. A significant exception applies to a specific list of countries, covered next.
The 14-Country Restriction Still in Effect
This is the single most important update on this page. It directly affects some of the largest visitor and expat communities in the Kingdom.
In April 2025, Saudi Arabia fully suspended short-term visa issuance, including family visit visas, for 14 nationalities. These include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
One more country rounds out the list, reported inconsistently as either Libya or Ethiopia. The stated reason was managing traveller volume ahead of that year’s Hajj season.
Anyone from these countries holding a valid visit visa at the time had to exit by 29 April 2025. Staying longer risked fines and a re-entry ban. Issuance resumed from 30 June 2025, but on notably different terms.
Only single-entry visas are currently being issued for these nationalities, allowing a maximum stay of 90 days. The one-year multiple-entry option that was previously standard has not been restored as of this writing.
Pro Tip: Sponsoring a relative from one of these 14 countries? Do not assume multiple-entry terms apply. Confirm current issuance rules through MOFA before any specific return date is planned.
Documents Typically Required
Exact requirements vary by sponsor type and embassy, but several documents recur across most applications.
- Passport valid for at least six months
- Proof of relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate
- The sponsor’s Iqama or National ID
- Passport-style photographs meeting Saudi specifications
Some nationalities require additional authentication on relationship documents. A birth certificate may need both a home-country government authentication and a Saudi embassy attestation before it is accepted.
Insurance Is Not Included
Unlike the tourist eVisa, a family visit visa does not bundle health insurance into its fee.
Arranging a separate policy is the visitor’s or sponsor’s responsibility. The visit visa insurance guide covers what to buy and where.
Checking Your Application Status
Once submitted, status checks run through the same MOFA portal used to apply.
The family visit visa status check guide covers checking by passport number and what each result means.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can sponsor a Saudi family visit visa?
Saudi citizens using a National ID, expatriate residents using a valid Iqama, and since 2026, domestic worker sponsors through MOFA. Each category has slightly different eligibility conditions.
How much does a Saudi family visit visa cost?
SAR 300 for single-entry and SAR 500 for multiple-entry, for nationalities not affected by current restrictions. Restricted nationalities are currently limited to single-entry issuance only.
Which nationalities are currently restricted to single-entry visas?
Fourteen countries are affected, including Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Yemen, following a 2025 suspension. Confirm current terms directly through MOFA, since this policy has changed more than once.
Does the family visit visa include insurance?
No, insurance must be arranged separately from the visa fee itself. This differs from the tourist eVisa, which includes it automatically.
Final Thoughts
The sponsor process itself has stayed consistent for years. What has genuinely shifted is entry terms for a specific set of nationalities. That change is easy to miss from an older guide.
Before booking any travel around a family visit visa, confirm current issuance terms for the visitor’s specific nationality. This single check prevents the most common planning mistake this topic produces.
Last verified: September 2026
Reviewed by: Roman Shah
Source: Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); EY Global immigration alerts; Fragomen immigration alerts
Note: sponsor eligibility, fees, and nationality-specific restrictions are subject to change and have shifted multiple times since 2025. Confirm current terms directly through the MOFA portal or a licensed visa agency before applying.
