eVisa
Tourist E-visa
Entry
Multiple entry
Validity
90 days
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
- Total cost
- €177 (US$191)
Do Austrian citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
Yes, but Austria is on Saudi Arabia's eVisa list, so most Austrian travellers apply online instead of visiting an embassy.
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Expert check before submission
3–5 business days
Processing time
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Expert human assistance
Saudi Arabia eVisa for Austrian Citizens: How to Apply
- Visa required · e-Visa
- Apply about 14 days before arrival
- Decision in 3–5 business days
- Verified
Plusvisa is a private visa application service, not a government agency or embassy. Official government source: Saudi eVisa portal, visa.visitsaudi.com.
Table of contents
Passport validity
6 months at entry
Stay per visit
Up to 90 days
Multiple entries over 1 year
Apply
Online, before you fly
Via the official eVisa portal
Three routes into Saudi Arabia
Most Austrians
e-Visa
Austrian passport holders are on Saudi Arabia's eVisa eligible list. Apply online before flying, for tourism, visiting family, leisure or Umrah outside the Hajj season.
Used US/UK/Schengen visa
Visa on arrival
Austrians who already carry a valid, previously used US, UK or Schengen visa in the same passport can get a visa at a Saudi airport or border point on arrival, without applying first.
Other purposes
Embassy visa
Travellers whose trip is not covered by the eVisa or visa-on-arrival routes, such as those needing a different visa category, apply at the Saudi embassy in Vienna before travelling.
Saudi Arabia e-Visa types and cost for Austrian citizens, in Euros
| e-Visa | Validity | Processing | Government fee | All-in with Plusvisa* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tourist E-visa eVisa | 90 days Multiple entry | 3–5 business days | US$152 ≈ €141 | ≈ €177 |
* The government fee is the government's own charge, never refundable. All-in adds Plusvisa's service fee, per traveller; it is refunded if we cause a refusal.
The 90-day rule, and what it does not mean
An Austrian eVisa allows a stay of up to 90 days on each visit, and can be used for multiple entries during the one year it stays valid from issue. It is not a 90-day allowance for the whole year.
Tourist E-visa: 90 days per visit.
Arrive 1 March
63 of 90 days
1 Mar – 2 May: 63 of the 90 days this visa allows in one visit.
Per visit, not per year: Each stay can run up to 90 days. The one-year validity lets you come back more than once, but every single visit still has to stay inside that 90-day cap.
Overstaying: Austria's foreign ministry warns that staying beyond the permitted period can bring fines and deportation, so check your exit date against your entry stamp.
Same passport throughout: Arrive and leave on the same passport used for the application. A new passport issued after approval does not carry the eVisa over automatically.
Your document checklist
Five things to have ready before you start your application, as an Austrian applicant.
Passport
Valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry. Use the same passport to apply and to travel.
Digital photo
200 x 200 pixels, 5 to 100 KB, plain white background, no other people or objects, face filling 70 to 80 percent of the frame, taken within the last 6 months.
Valid email address
Used to create the account and to receive the issued eVisa as an attachment.
Only for some visa types
Return or onward ticket
Only if Recommended for all Austrian travellers. Not uploaded with the eVisa application, but Austria's foreign ministry advises keeping proof of a return or onward flight to show at the border.Comprehensive travel insurance
Only if Recommended for all Austrian travellers. Not required to obtain the eVisa, but Austria's foreign ministry urges buying it, since there is no social insurance agreement between Austria and Saudi Arabia and hospital costs can be high.
When should you apply?
Processing takes 3–5 business days. Enter your arrival date and we'll work backwards.
Processing
Standard3–5 business days
Pick your arrival date
- 1
Apply online
—
Form and uploads, about 30 min
- 2
Pay the fee
—
By card, on the portal
- 3
Processing
3–5 business days
Official estimate
- 4
Approval emailed
—
Keep a copy on your phone
- 5
Arrive in Saudi Arabia
—
Show the approval at the border
The official portal does not publish a fixed advance-application window. Apply at least two weeks ahead so there is time to fix a rejected photo or document and resubmit.
Four questions, 20 seconds
Is the passport you are travelling on an ordinary Austrian passport, valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date?
Are you 18 or older, or travelling with a parent or legal guardian who is?
Is your trip for tourism, leisure, visiting family, or Umrah outside the Hajj season?
Will you travel on the exact same passport you use for the application?
Result
Answer all four
Four quick checks of the rules that most often catch travellers out, and we'll tell you where you stand.
The application, step by step
Before you apply
- 1
Check your route
Confirm Austria is still on the eVisa eligible list and that your passport and trip meet the conditions, using the official portal.
- 2
Prepare your documents
Have your passport valid for 6 months, a compliant digital photo, and an email address ready. Also keep proof of a return or onward ticket and travel insurance; Austria's foreign ministry recommends both even though they are not uploaded with the eVisa.
On the official portal
- 3
Register and apply
Create an account on the official eVisa portal, enter your details exactly as they appear in your Austrian passport, and upload your photo.
- 4
Pay online
Pay the government fee by card. VAT is added automatically at checkout.
After you apply
- 5
Save the eVisa
Download or print the eVisa emailed to you, and keep a copy to show on arrival.
- 6
Travel on the same passport
Enter Saudi Arabia on the same passport used to apply. Immigration captures biometric details on arrival.
- 7
Register your trip with Austria
Austrian citizens can register their trip with the foreign ministry's travel registration service, useful if the security situation changes while you are there.
Official website: visa.visitsaudi.com (opens in a new tab)
Questions Austrian travellers actually ask
Yes. Austria's embassy is in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh, and there is an honorary consulate in Jeddah. Keep their contact details for emergencies.
No. Austria's foreign ministry says the electronic ID is currently accepted only inside Austria. You need your physical passport to apply for and use the eVisa.
Yes. Austria's foreign ministry confirms that entry is refused to anyone whose passport carries an Israeli stamp or visa.
General tourist entry does not require proof of insurance. Even so, Austria's foreign ministry urges buying comprehensive travel insurance, since there is no social insurance agreement between Austria and Saudi Arabia and hospital costs can be high.
Contact the Austrian embassy in Riyadh straight away. Austria's foreign ministry says only a direct return to Austria is possible on a replacement emergency passport, which is not valid for entering on an eVisa.
Austria's foreign ministry says an Austrian licence is recognised together with an international driving permit. Check with the car hire company, since rules can vary.
Yes. Austria's foreign ministry recommends registering your trip online, so the embassy can reach you if the security situation changes.
Visa sorted
The things that make the first
48 hours easy, compared with home
Your Austrian plug won't fit. Here's what will.
Type G
Three flat pins · 13 A
Type G
Saudi Arabia uses type G sockets and your plugs are type C and F. A C-to-G adapter works for the whole trip.
Voltage
230 V · 60 Hz
Against 230 V · 50 Hz at home. Check the label on chargers and appliances: anything marked 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz works in both.
Pack: one type G adapter and a small power strip — hotel rooms rarely have more than two sockets.
Saudi Arabia drives on the right — just like home
Compare traffic side:
Saudi Arabia · right-hand traffic — same as Austria
Getting around
Riyadh has a metro and bus network; Jeddah and other cities rely on taxis and ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem. Car hire is easy and common for trips between cities and to sites like AlUla.
Heat and health
Summers are extremely hot, with daytime highs above 40C from May to September. Carry water, limit time outdoors at midday, and use sun protection, especially away from the coast.
Dress and etiquette
Modest dress is expected for everyone in public: shoulders and knees covered. Alcohol is illegal. Public life pauses briefly at prayer times, when some shops and restaurants close for a short while.
Saudi Riyals, cash and cards
Saudi Arabia uses the Saudi Riyal (SAR).
SAR
€1 ≈ SAR4 · indicative mid-market rate, possibly a few days old
Cards work almost everywhere
Bank cards and mobile payments are accepted in most shops, hotels and restaurants in cities, so carrying large amounts of cash is rarely necessary.
Keep small notes for cash tips
Riyal notes are still useful for tipping porters, valets and drivers, and for small vendors and traditional markets that prefer cash.
ATMs are widely available
Cash machines are common in airports, malls and city centres and accept most international bank cards, but can be scarcer in small towns and rural areas.
Weather by month (Riyadh)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
6.6°8.9°13.4°18.8°24°26.2°28°27.9°24.5°19.7°13.8°8.3°
- Daytime high
- Grey row = night low
- Best time to go
- Daytime high
- Grey row = night low
- Best time to go
| Month | High, °C | Low, °C | Rain, mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| January · best | 21 | 6.6 | 5.6 |
| February · best | 24.3 | 8.9 | 3.7 |
| March · best | 29 | 13.4 | 2.5 |
| April | 34.3 | 18.8 | 5.4 |
| May | 40 | 24 | 0.9 |
| June | 42.8 | 26.2 | 0 |
| July | 44 | 28 | 0 |
| August | 43.5 | 27.9 | 0 |
| September | 40.2 | 24.5 | 0 |
| October | 34.5 | 19.7 | 0.3 |
| November · best | 27.1 | 13.8 | 6.9 |
| December · best | 21.9 | 8.3 | 6.2 |
Monthly averages. Source: NASA POWER climatology, 2001-2020.
January · ideal
The best window runs January, February, March, November and December.
High 21°CLow 6.6°CRain 5.6 mm
Sweet spot: Riyadh has a hot desert climate. Winters, from November to March, are mild and pleasant with cool nights. Summers, from May to September, are extremely hot and dry, often above 40C. Rain is rare year-round.
One time zone
Vienna
--:--:--
Riyadh
--:--:--
How much to tip, in EUR
SAR 60(€14.82)
Restaurant bill
Only if a service charge is not already added to the bill.
10–15%
on a SAR 60 bill: SAR 6 · €1.48
Cafe or casual meal
Rounding up the bill is common.
SAR 5–SAR 10
€1.23–€2.47
Hotel porter, per bag
SAR 5–SAR 10
€1.23–€2.47
Housekeeping, per night
SAR 10–SAR 15
€2.47–€3.70
Taxi or rideshare
Rounding up the fare is the usual practice.
0–10%
on a SAR 60 bill: SAR 0 · €0
Tour guide, per day
SAR 50–SAR 100
€12.35–€24.69
Private driver, per day
SAR 30–SAR 50
€7.41–€12.35
SIM, eSIM or roaming?
Local SIM
Local SIM card
≈ €24.69SAR 100
STC, Zain or Mobily counters at the airport, or their stores in cities Passport required to register the SIM at the point of sale.
eSIM
RecommendedTravel eSIM
≈ €13.89US$15
International eSIM providers, bought online before departure Installs before landing, useful if travelling without a physical SIM slot to spare.
Roaming
Roaming from home
Home mobile operator, activated before departure Usually the most expensive option; check the operator's Saudi Arabia roaming rate first.
Get your Saudi Arabia e-Visa in about five business days, without the portal headaches
Upload a phone photo and your passport, we check them against every rule above, submit, and send your approval to your inbox. From €177 all-in.
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- Fee refunded if we cause a refusal
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