eVisa
Tourist E-visa
Entry
Multiple entry
Validity
90 days
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
- Total cost
- US$191
Do New-Zealand citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
Yes, New Zealand citizens need a visa, but they can get one online as an e-Visa before flying, with no embassy visit needed.
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Saudi Arabia Visa for New Zealand Citizens: eVisa Guide
- Visa required · e-Visa
- Apply about 7 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
Valid 6 months at entry
Stay per visit
Up to 90 days
Visa validity
1 year, multiple entry
Three routes into Saudi Arabia
Most people
e-Visa
New Zealand is on Saudi Arabia's e-Visa eligible list. Apply online on the official portal before flying, using an ordinary New Zealand passport, a digital photo and an email address.
Used US/UK/Schengen visa
Visa on arrival
New Zealanders who hold a valid, already-used US, UK or Schengen visa can instead get a visa at the airport on arrival, without applying beforehand.
Diplomatic passports, minors
Embassy visa
Holders of a New Zealand diplomatic or official passport, and minors travelling without a guardian aged 18 or over, apply at a Saudi embassy or consulate instead of online.
Saudi Arabia e-Visa types and cost for New-Zealand citizens, in New Zealand Dollars
| e-Visa | Validity | Processing | Government fee | All-in with Plusvisa* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tourist E-visa eVisa | 90 days Multiple entry | 3–5 business days | US$152 | US$191 |
* 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
Most New Zealand travellers use the tourist eVisa. It allows a stay of up to 90 days on each visit, and stays valid for multiple entries over one year from the date it is issued.
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.
The 90 days is per visit: Each entry can last up to 90 days. The one-year visa validity is how long you can use the visa to enter, not a single continuous stay allowance.
Multiple entries, one visa: New Zealanders can leave and re-enter Saudi Arabia as many times as they like within the one-year validity, as long as each stay stays within 90 days.
Extensions are not confirmed: We could not confirm an official process for extending a stay past 90 days from inside Saudi Arabia. Plan to leave before the 90 days are up.
Overstaying has consequences: Staying longer than the visa allows can lead to fines and can affect a future entry to Saudi Arabia.
Your document checklist
Five things to have ready before you start your application, as a New-Zealand applicant.
New Zealand passport
Must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Saudi Arabia. Use the same passport for the online application and at the border.
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 in the last 6 months.
Valid email address
Used to register on the portal and to receive the issued eVisa by email.
International payment card
A Visa or Mastercard that can be charged online in Saudi riyals. New Zealand card issuers often add a foreign transaction fee, so check with your bank first.
Only for some visa types
Return or onward ticket
Only if Applicants who must apply at an embassy, e.g. diplomatic passport holders. Not required from New Zealand citizens applying for the e-Visa, but can be asked for at an embassy by the few who must use that route.
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
No official earliest or latest window was found. A week's buffer allows time to fix a rejected photo or detail and reapply.
Four questions, 20 seconds
Is your New Zealand passport valid for at least 6 months after your planned entry date?
Are you travelling for tourism, visiting family, a business event, or Umrah outside the Hajj season?
Is the passport you are travelling on an ordinary New Zealand passport, not a diplomatic or official one?
If anyone in your booking is under 18, will they travel with a guardian aged 18 or over on the same 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 passport and eligibility
Confirm your New Zealand passport has at least 6 months left from your entry date, and that you are using the eVisa route rather than visa on arrival or an embassy visa.
- 2
Prepare your photo
Take or scan a digital photo against a plain white background that matches the official specification, and have a working email address ready.
- 3
Check your card with your bank
Confirm your Visa or Mastercard can be charged online in Saudi riyals, and ask your New Zealand bank whether it adds a foreign transaction fee.
On the official portal
- 4
Create an account
Register on the official eVisa portal with your email address and verify it.
- 5
Complete the application
Enter your New Zealand passport and personal details exactly as they appear in your passport, upload your photo, and answer the eligibility questions.
- 6
Pay the fee
Pay the government fee online by card. The charge is made in Saudi riyals, converted from your card's currency by your bank.
After you apply
- 7
Receive the eVisa by email
If approved, the eVisa arrives as an email attachment. Keep a printed or digital copy to show on arrival.
- 8
Travel on the same passport
Arrive on the same New Zealand passport used in the application. Immigration captures biometric details on entry.
Official website: visa.visitsaudi.com (opens in a new tab)
Questions New-Zealand travellers actually ask
Yes. New Zealand is on Saudi Arabia's eVisa eligible list, so you can apply on the official portal before you fly, instead of going to an embassy.
No. A return or onward ticket is not required from New Zealand citizens using the eVisa route. It is only asked for by travellers who must use the embassy route.
Yes, outside the Hajj season. The tourist eVisa covers Umrah as well as tourism, leisure and visiting family, but not Hajj itself.
You can use the visa on arrival route instead of applying online beforehand, as long as that other visa has already been used to enter the issuing country.
The embassy provides consular assistance, not visa processing. All eVisa applications go through the official Saudi eVisa portal, not through the embassy.
Saudi Arabia does not recognise dual nationality for its own citizens, and can hold onto a second passport if it is found. If you enter on your New Zealand passport, New Zealand advice is that you should also leave on that same passport.
We could not confirm a blank page requirement for the eVisa route. Check the passport validity rule of 6 months from entry, which does apply.
The fee is charged online in Saudi riyals. Many New Zealand card issuers add a foreign transaction fee for overseas charges like this, so it is worth checking with your bank before you pay.
Visa sorted
The things that make the first
48 hours easy, compared with home
Your New-Zealand 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 I. An I-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 — the opposite of home
Compare traffic side:
Saudi Arabia · right-hand traffic — the opposite of New Zealand
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).
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
Wellington
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Riyadh
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How much to tip, in NZD
SAR 2,000
Restaurant bill
Only if a service charge is not already added to the bill.
10–15%
on a SAR 2,000 bill: SAR 200
Cafe or casual meal
Rounding up the bill is common.
SAR 5–SAR 10
Hotel porter, per bag
SAR 5–SAR 10
Housekeeping, per night
SAR 10–SAR 15
Taxi or rideshare
Rounding up the fare is the usual practice.
0–10%
on a SAR 2,000 bill: SAR 0
Tour guide, per day
SAR 50–SAR 100
Private driver, per day
SAR 30–SAR 50
SIM, eSIM or roaming?
Local SIM
Local SIM card
≈ SAR 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
≈ US$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 US$191 all-in.
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- Fee refunded if we cause a refusal
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