eVisa
Tourist E-visa
Entry
Multiple entry
Validity
90 days
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
- Total cost
- US$191
Do Norwegian citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
Yes, Norwegian citizens need a visa, but most can apply online for an eVisa before flying.
Pre-checkedReviewed
Expert check before submission
3–5 business days
Processing time
+21k21K+
Applications processed
Available now24/7
Expert human assistance
Saudi Arabia Visa for Norwegian 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 validity
6 months at entry
Stay per visit
Up to 90 days
Multiple entries over the visa's 1 year
Biometrics
Fingerprints taken on arrival
Confirmed by the Norwegian embassy in Riyadh
Two routes into Saudi Arabia
Most travellers
e-Visa
Norway is on Saudi Arabia's e-Visa eligible list, so holders of a Norwegian passport can apply online on the official portal before flying, without visiting an embassy.
Used US/UK/Schengen visa
Visa on arrival
A Norwegian citizen who already holds a valid, used US, UK or Schengen visa in the same passport can instead get a visa at the airport or another entry point on arrival.
Saudi Arabia e-Visa types and cost for Norwegian citizens, in Norwegian Krones
| 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
The tourist eVisa lets a Norwegian passport holder stay up to 90 days on each visit. The visa itself stays valid for multiple entries for 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.
90 days is per visit, not per year: Each stay in Saudi Arabia on the eVisa must be 90 days or under. The traveller can leave and re-enter several times within the one-year visa validity, as long as each visit stays within 90 days.
Visa validity is not the stay limit: A Norwegian citizen must leave before the 90-day stay limit on a visit ends, even if the one-year multiple-entry visa is still valid. Staying past 90 days on one visit is an overstay regardless of remaining visa validity.
Passport validity is separate: Saudi Arabia expects at least 6 months of passport validity from the date of entry, on top of the visa and stay rules above.
Your document checklist
Four things to have ready before you start your application, as a Norwegian applicant.
Passport
Valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Saudi Arabia. The same Norwegian passport used in the online application must be presented 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 within the last 6 months.
Valid email address
Used to create the portal account and to receive the issued eVisa as an email attachment.
Payment card
The government fee is paid online by card at checkout. Norwegian-issued cards that support international online payments should work, as the portal charges in Saudi riyals.
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 lead-time window was found. Applying about a week ahead allows time to fix a rejected photo or detail before the flight.
Four questions, 20 seconds
Is your trip for tourism, leisure, visiting family, business visits, or Umrah outside the Hajj season?
Is your Norwegian passport valid for at least 6 months from your entry date?
Are you 18 or over, or travelling with a guardian aged 18 or over if you are under 18?
Do you hold a regular Norwegian 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 the passport
Make sure the Norwegian passport has at least 6 months of validity left from the planned entry date, and that it is the passport that will be used for the whole trip.
- 2
Prepare a digital photo and email
Take a plain white background digital photo that meets the official size specification, and have an email address ready to register on the portal.
On the official portal
- 3
Register on the official eVisa portal
Create and verify an account on the Saudi Ministry of Tourism's eVisa portal, not on a private or third-party site.
- 4
Enter passport and trip details
Fill in the Norwegian passport details, personal information and trip purpose, then upload the photo.
- 5
Pay the government fee by card
Pay online with a card that supports international payments; VAT is added at checkout on top of the government fee.
After you apply
- 6
Receive the eVisa by email
If approved, the eVisa arrives as an email attachment. Save a digital and printed copy.
- 7
Travel on the same passport
Arrive in Saudi Arabia on the same Norwegian passport used in the application. Fingerprints are taken by immigration on entry.
Confirmed by the Norwegian embassy in Riyadh.
Official website: visa.visitsaudi.com (opens in a new tab)
Questions Norwegian travellers actually ask
Yes. Norway is on the list of passports that can apply for the Saudi tourist eVisa online, without going to an embassy.
Check the current travel advice from Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking, since advisories can change and may affect insurance or embassy support.
It is not a visa requirement, but the Norwegian embassy in Riyadh recommends registering on reiseklar.no so it can reach you in an emergency.
Yes. Biometric fingerprints are captured by immigration on arrival, whatever visa or route was used to get it.
Yes, outside the Hajj season. Hajj itself needs a separate Hajj visa applied for through an authorised organiser, not the tourist eVisa.
The application will be refused. Renew the passport before applying, since both the eVisa application and entry require at least 6 months of validity from the entry date.
No. If you are registered on entry with another nationality, Saudi Arabia treats you as that nationality, which can limit how much the Norwegian embassy can assist.
Visa sorted
The things that make the first
48 hours easy, compared with home
Your Norwegian 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 Norway
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
Oslo
--:--:--
Riyadh
--:--:--
How much to tip, in NOK
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.
- Card payments by PayPal
- Fee refunded if we cause a refusal
- Support by email and WhatsApp