eVisa
Tourist E-visa
Entry
Multiple entry
Validity
90 days
- Processing
- 3–4 business days
- Total cost
- $259 (US$189)
Do Canadian citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
Yes, but most Canadian passport holders can apply for an e-Visa online instead of visiting an embassy.
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Saudi Arabia Visa for Canadians: eVisa Rules & How to Apply
- Visa required · e-Visa
- Apply about 14 days before arrival
- Decision in 3–4 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
Global Affairs Canada instead describes this as a 90-day yearly maximum; confirm before a long trip.
Visa validity
1 year, multiple entry
Three routes into Saudi Arabia
Most Canadians
e-Visa
Canada is on Saudi Arabia's e-Visa list, so most Canadian passport holders apply online before flying and skip the embassy step entirely.
Arriving without one
Visa on arrival
The Government of Canada confirms Canadian tourists can also get a visa at a Saudi airport on arrival, without applying online first.
Under 18 travelling alone
Embassy visa
A child under 18 who is not travelling with a guardian aged 18 or over cannot use the e-Visa or visa on arrival, and needs an embassy visa instead.
Saudi Arabia e-Visa types and cost for Canadian citizens, in Canadian Dollars
| e-Visa | Validity | Processing | Government fee | All-in with Plusvisa* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tourist E-visa eVisa | 90 days Multiple entry | 3–4 business days | US$152 ≈ $209 | ≈ $259 |
* 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
Global Affairs Canada describes the tourist visa as multiple entries within one year, capped at 90 days per year. Saudi Arabia's own material instead describes up to 90 days per single visit, so confirm the current rule before a long trip.
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.
Multiple entries, one year: The visa is valid for a year from the date it is issued and can be used for more than one trip in that time. It is not reissued fresh at every entry.
Overstaying is costly: Global Affairs Canada warns that overstaying leads to heavy fines, and a traveller cannot leave Saudi Arabia until the fine is paid.
No automatic extension: The visa does not extend itself past its limit. Anyone needing a longer stay must arrange a different visa route before the limit is reached.
Same passport throughout: Enter and exit on the same Canadian passport used in the application. Saudi immigration checks this and captures biometrics on arrival.
Your document checklist
Four things to have ready before you start your application, as a Canadian applicant.
Canadian passport
Valid for at least 6 months from your entry date. If it shows an 'X' sex marker, check entry rules with a Saudi mission first, as Canada cannot guarantee entry on these passports.
Digital photo
Same 200 x 200 pixel, plain white background rule as other applicants. A standard Canadian passport photo usually needs cropping and resizing to fit.
International payment card
A Canadian-issued credit or debit card enabled for online international payments, to pay the government fee on the portal.
Only for some visa types
Return ticket, funds and accommodation proof
Only if Applying at a Saudi embassy. Not needed for the e-Visa or visa on arrival. Only asked for if applying at a Saudi embassy instead, for example because neither online route can be used.
When should you apply?
Processing takes 3–4 business days. Enter your arrival date and we'll work backwards.
Processing
Standard3–4 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
3–4 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 application window. Apply once your travel dates are fixed, leaving time to fix a rejected photo or document and resubmit.
Four questions, 20 seconds
Do you hold a regular Canadian passport valid for at least 6 months after your entry date?
Are you 18 or older, or travelling with a parent or guardian aged 18 or over?
Is your trip for tourism, visiting family, or Umrah outside the Hajj season?
Do you hold an ordinary Canadian passport, not a diplomatic, special or official one?
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 passport
Make sure your Canadian passport is valid for at least 6 months after you plan to enter Saudi Arabia, and renew it first if it is not.
- 2
Get a compliant photo
Prepare a digital photo on a plain white background, 200 x 200 pixels, showing only your face and shoulders and taken within the last 6 months.
- 3
Have a payment card ready
Have a Canadian-issued credit or debit card enabled for online international payments, since the government fee is paid on the portal.
On the official portal
- 4
Register on the portal
Create an account on the official Saudi eVisa portal with your email address, and verify it.
- 5
Enter your details
Fill in your passport and personal details exactly as printed in your Canadian passport, upload your photo, and answer the eligibility questions.
- 6
Pay the government fee
Pay online by card. The total shown at checkout includes VAT.
After you apply
- 7
Check your email
An approved eVisa arrives as an email attachment. Keep a digital copy and print one as a backup.
- 8
Travel on the same passport
Enter Saudi Arabia on the same Canadian passport used in the application. Immigration captures biometrics on arrival.
Questions Canadian travellers actually ask
Yes. The Government of Canada confirms Canadian tourists can get the tourist visa either online before flying, or at the airport on arrival.
Global Affairs Canada advises a maximum of 90 days per year on the tourist visa, which is valid for a year and allows multiple entries. Saudi material instead describes 90 days per visit, so check the current rule before a long trip.
No. Saudi Arabia does not recognise dual citizenship. If Saudi authorities consider you a Saudi citizen, Canada's consular services to you may be limited.
Global Affairs Canada warns that overstaying results in heavy fines, and a traveller cannot exit Saudi Arabia until the fine is paid.
The Government of Canada says it cannot guarantee entry for passports with an 'X' sex marker, and recommends checking directly with a Saudi mission before travelling.
No. The e-Visa and visa on arrival routes described here are for holders of a Canadian passport. A permanent resident who is not a Canadian citizen should check the rules for their own passport.
Bring medication in its original container with a copy of the prescription. If the medication is a controlled substance, an online permit from Saudi authorities is needed before travelling, or it can lead to arrest.
Visa sorted
The things that make the first
48 hours easy, compared with home
Your Canadian 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 A and B. A A-to-G adapter works for the whole trip.
Voltage
230 V · 60 Hz
Against 120 V · 60 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 Canada
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 ≈ SAR2.7 · 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
Ottawa
--:--:--
Riyadh
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How much to tip, in CAD
SAR 40($14.61)
Restaurant bill
Only if a service charge is not already added to the bill.
10–15%
on a SAR 40 bill: SAR 4 · $1.46
Cafe or casual meal
Rounding up the bill is common.
SAR 5–SAR 10
$1.83–$3.65
Hotel porter, per bag
SAR 5–SAR 10
$1.83–$3.65
Housekeeping, per night
SAR 10–SAR 15
$3.65–$5.48
Taxi or rideshare
Rounding up the fare is the usual practice.
0–10%
on a SAR 40 bill: SAR 0 · $0
Tour guide, per day
SAR 50–SAR 100
$18.27–$36.53
Private driver, per day
SAR 30–SAR 50
$10.96–$18.27
SIM, eSIM or roaming?
Local SIM
Local SIM card
≈ $36.53SAR 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
≈ $20.55US$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 four 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 $259 all-in.
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