How to Apply for a Saudi Arabia Tourist Visa from India

Indians cannot visit Saudi Arabia visa-free: the official Visit Saudi tool places India in its "Visa by Package" group. VFS Global does not handle Saudi visas in India; Tasheer runs the Saudi visa service centres. The steps below are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15: Visit Saudi, the KSA Visa platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism and Tasheer. For business, Umrah and work visas, see our Saudi Arabia visa guide for Indian citizens.

Which of the three routes can you use?

Your passport history decides the route. If you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen tourist or business visa that you have used at least once, or a qualifying residence permit, you have the cheapest and simplest option. Everyone else chooses between a package and a centre application.

Route 1: how do you buy a Package Visa?

The Ministry of Tourism launched the Package Visa pilot on 6 July 2026, with India on the eligible list. The visa comes bundled with your trip:

1. Pick an accredited agency. The Ministry names Reserval, Almosafer, Webook.com and Almatar.
2. Choose a package that meets the rules. It must include a confirmed hotel rated 4 stars or above, licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, and a confirmed round-trip flight. Packages cost at least SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days plus SAR 1,000 for each extra day.
3. Check the trip limits. Stays run from 2 to 88 days, travel must start at least 48 hours after purchase, and Makkah and Madinah are excluded. One package covers up to 9 tourists over 18 and up to 5 children.
4. Complete the online visa application, which includes medical insurance.
5. Receive the visa by email. The visa and travel insurance are issued when the booking is complete.

Route 2: how do you apply with a US, UK or Schengen visa?

The eVisa and visa on arrival are open to Indians who hold any of these:

• A valid US, UK or Schengen business or tourist visa used at least once, with a physical entry stamp from the issuing country. Digital entry stamps are not accepted.
• A permanent residence permit from the UK, US or EU.
• A GCC residence visa valid at least 3 months beyond your entry (eVisa).

To apply for the eVisa, register on the KSA Visa platform, upload a headshot photo, pay the fees and track the application with your invitation or application number. Approval or rejection arrives by email, and more documents may be requested. Your passport must be valid at least six months beyond entry. Visa on arrival is the fallback at SAR 395, insurance included. The eVisa health insurance covers COVID-19 treatment and is valid for one year.

Route 3: how does a Tasheer or embassy application work?

If you have no qualifying visa and do not want a package, apply through a visa service centre. KSA Visa lists 11 authorised visa offices in India, plus the Saudi missions in New Delhi and Mumbai; Tasheer's India portal lists 14 centres. Centres include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Malappuram, Mumbai, New Delhi and Patna.

1. Book an appointment on Tasheer's portal (choose India), or by visiting the centre. Bookings can be modified, rescheduled, waitlisted or cancelled.
2. Prepare the documents Visit Saudi lists for this route: proof of residence, a return ticket, a flight itinerary, proof of employment, a bank statement, identification and your residence address in Saudi Arabia.
3. Attend the centre for a document check, form help, biometrics and identity verification, and pay the fees.
4. Track the application and collect your passport at the centre, or have it delivered.

The tourism visit visa fee on KSA Visa is $80, plus a $10.5 visa digital services fee and a $10.5 insurance digital services fee, both non-refundable, plus the premium set by your chosen insurer. Tasheer's own service charges in INR could not be verified, so ask at the centre.

What can you do on a Saudi tourist visa?

• Validity: a single-entry visa is valid 90 days; a multiple-entry visa is valid 1 year. Each stay can last up to 90 days.
• Umrah: Muslim visitors may perform Umrah and visit Makkah and Madinah on the tourism visa, though the Package Visa itself excludes those cities.
• Hajj: not permitted on a tourist visa; during the Hajj season, entry is only through designated ports.
• Age: under-18s enter only with a parent, grandparent or adult sibling.

What if you are refused or change plans?

Official refund rules conflict. KSA Visa says fees cannot be refunded once a visa is issued, and that a rejected or cancelled application triggers an automatic refund request processed within 45-60 business days. Visit Saudi's eVisa FAQ says tourist visa fees are non-refundable in any case. Rejected applicants can reapply at any time.

For a Tasheer file that needs a flight itinerary and a hotel address, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for the full set. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Saudi tourist visa take for Indians?

A Package Visa is issued instantly once the booking is complete. On the KSA Visa platform, tourism visas take 1 minute to 3 business days, longer in exceptional cases. Tasheer does not publish its passport-return time.

Can an Indian woman travel alone to Saudi Arabia on a tourist visa?

The tourist visa rules set an age condition, not a guardian rule: applicants must be at least 18 to enter alone. For Umrah, KSA Visa states that women do not need a male guardian (mahram).

Is there a Saudi visa fee in Indian rupees?

No official INR fee is published. KSA Visa lists fees in US dollars and Visit Saudi in Saudi riyals, so the rupee cost depends on the exchange rate on the day you pay.

Is a Saudi stopover visa free for Indians?

The transit/stopover visa itself is free when you fly Saudia or Flynas; it is created and emailed with your booking. An application fee of roughly 39.50 (US$10.50) and medical insurance from roughly 13 (US$3.45) apply.