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South Africa

Saudi Arabia

Do South-African citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?

Yes, South African citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia, but the South African passport is on the eVisa list, so most trips can be arranged online before flying.

  • eVisa

    Tourist E-visa

    Entry

    Multiple entry

    Validity

    1 year

    Processing
    3–5 business days
    Total cost
    US$189
  • Pre-checked

    Reviewed

    Expert check before submission

  • 3–5 business days

    Processing time

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    21K+

    Applications processed

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Saudi Arabia Visa for South African Citizens: How to Apply

  • 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
  1. Do you need a visa?
  2. Types and cost in ZAR
  3. How long you may stay
  4. Documents
  5. When to apply
  6. Eligibility check
  7. How to apply
  8. FAQ
  9. South Africa vs. Saudi Arabia essentials

  • Passport

    Valid 6 months at entry

  • Stay per visit

    Up to 90 days

    On the tourist eVisa

  • Visa validity

    1 year from issue

    Multiple entry

Two routes into Saudi Arabia

  • Most South Africans

    e-Visa

    South Africa is on Saudi Arabia's eVisa list. Apply online before flying with a passport, a digital photo and an email address, and present the same passport on arrival.

  • Used US/UK/Schengen visa

    Visa on arrival

    South Africans who already hold 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, without applying first.

Saudi Arabia e-Visa types and cost for South-African citizens, in South African Rands

e-VisaValidityProcessingGovernment feeAll-in with Plusvisa*

Tourist E-visa

eVisa

1 year

Multiple entry

3–5 business days

US$152

US$189

* 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.

How long you may stay

On the tourist eVisa, South Africans can stay up to 90 days on any one visit. The visa itself stays valid for multiple entries for one year from the date it is issued.

  • 90 days per visit, not per year: Each entry can last up to 90 days. The one-year validity lets you come back more than once, but it is the length of a single stay that is capped, not the whole year.

  • Same passport throughout: Saudi Arabia expects the passport presented on arrival to be the one used in the eVisa application. Do not apply on one South African passport and travel on a newer one.

  • This is not a residence permit: The eVisa and the visa on arrival only cover visits. They do not let a South African live, work or study in Saudi Arabia.

Your document checklist

Four things to have ready before you start your application, as a South-African applicant.

  • Passport

    Valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Saudi Arabia. Use the same South African passport for the application and for 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 eVisa account and to receive the issued eVisa as an email attachment.

  • Debit or credit card

    Used to pay the government fee on the official portal at checkout. A card that works for international online payments is needed.

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. 1

    Apply online

    —

    Form and uploads, about 30 min

  2. 2

    Pay the fee

    —

    By card, on the portal

  3. 3

    Processing

    3–5 business days

    Official estimate

  4. 4

    Approval emailed

    —

    Keep a copy on your phone

  5. 5

    Arrive in Saudi Arabia

    —

    Show the approval at the border

No official earliest or latest application date was confirmed. Apply once dates are fixed, with a week's buffer in case documents need resubmitting.

Four questions, 20 seconds

  1. Are you travelling on an ordinary South African passport valid for at least 6 months after you arrive?

  2. Is your trip for tourism, visiting family, attending events, or Umrah outside the Hajj season?

  3. Are you 18 or over, or travelling with a parent or legal guardian?

  4. Do you hold an ordinary South African 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. 1

    Check your passport

    Confirm your South African passport has at least 6 months left from your arrival date, and that it is the passport you will travel on.

  2. 2

    Prepare a digital photo and email

    Get a photo meeting the official specification and have an active email address ready to register on the portal.

On the official portal

  1. 3

    Create an account

    Register on the official Saudi eVisa portal with your email address and verify it.

  2. 4

    Complete the application

    Enter your South African passport and personal details, upload the photo, and answer the eligibility questions as they apply to South African applicants.

  3. 5

    Pay the government fee

    Pay online with a debit or credit card that can be used for international payments. VAT is added at checkout.

After you apply

  1. 6

    Receive the eVisa by email

    If approved, the eVisa arrives as an email attachment. Save a copy, printed or digital, to show on arrival.

  2. 7

    Travel on the same passport

    Arrive on the South African passport used in the application. Immigration captures biometric details on entry.

Official website: visa.visitsaudi.com (opens in a new tab)

Questions South-African travellers actually ask

South Africa is on Saudi Arabia's eVisa list, so most South African travellers apply online before flying rather than relying on the visa-on-arrival route.

No. The tourist eVisa covers Umrah outside the Hajj season for South Africans, as it does for other eVisa-eligible nationalities.

Yes, if it is still valid and has already been used to enter the issuing country. This is an alternative to the eVisa, not a requirement, since South Africans can normally apply online.

Not usually. The embassy or consulate route is for passports that are not eVisa-eligible or for visa types the eVisa does not cover, such as work or study. Ordinary tourist trips from South Africa normally use the online eVisa.

No such letter is required for the tourist eVisa. Employer letters are typically asked for with business visas or at an embassy, not on the eVisa portal.

No. Saudi Arabia requires at least 6 months of passport validity from the date of entry, and applications without this are refused.

The portal accepts debit and credit card payment online. Check with your bank beforehand that your card is enabled for international online payments before you start the application.

Visa sorted

The things that make the first 48 hours easy, compared with home

Your South-African 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, D, M and N. 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 — the opposite of home

Compare traffic side:

Saudi Arabia · right-hand traffic — the opposite of South Africa

  • 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)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec21°24.3°29°34.3°40°42.8°44°43.5°40.2°34.5°27.1°21.9°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
MonthHigh, °CLow, °CRain, mm
January · best216.65.6
February · best24.38.93.7
March · best2913.42.5
April34.318.85.4
May40240.9
June42.826.20
July44280
August43.527.90
September40.224.50
October34.519.70.3
November · best27.113.86.9
December · best21.98.36.2

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

Pretoria

--:--:--

Riyadh

--:--:--

How much to tip, in ZAR

SAR 2,000

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

Recommended

Travel 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$189 all-in.

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