Saudi Arabia Free Visa For Indian

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Saudi Arabia invites Indian nationals to avail free visas on arrival in the kingdom. As part of government’s new e-Visa scheme, Indian passport holders are now eligible to receive their visas upon arrival, without a requirement of a sponsor. The e-visa scheme will be available at all international airports of the kingdom and ports of entry from June 1st, 2015, for visitors from around ten nations, including India.

Let me tell you the story of how I got my free visa to Saudi Arabia. It all came about because I had to answer a few questions online, which turned out to be a survey about my current job and life situation.

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Saudi Arabia Free Visa For Indian

Saudi Arabia, is an Islamic country, located in Western Asia. Being the largest exporter of oil in the world its economy is dominated by the oil industry. Saudi Arabia is also known for its rich culture and heritage.

Saudi Arabia Visa

Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the state has a lot to offer to the residents as well as the visitors from around the world. Every year, the state receives a high volume of visa application under various categories. All visa applicants are required to complete the online application form on www.mofa.gov.sa, once the form is submitted, a print copy of the form with the mofa number/ reference number needs to be submitted along with the necessary documents.

Visa Application Process

In order to apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia, applicants are required to get in touch with registered agents. Applicants can visit http://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/ to obtain the list of Licensed Agencies. Following are few of the key requirements for the visa application process:

  • Filled in application form with the following details-
    • Name of the applicant
    • Mother name
    • Date of birth
    • Place of birth
    • Nationality
    • Present Nationality
    • Sex
    • Marital Status
    • Religion
    • Qualification
    • Profession
    • Home address and contact number
    • Office address and contact number
    • Passport details
    • Purpose of travel
    • Duration of stay
    • Mode of payment
    • Destination
    • Dependent’s details, etc.
  • Valid passport with at least six months of validity from the date of application and at least two blank pages for stamping
  • Recent passport size photographs with white background
  • Payment of visa fee based on the type of the visa (payable to the registered visa agents)
    • VIP Business Visa – S.R.1,000
    • Business Visa Multiple Entry – S.R.500
    • Business Visa Single Entry – S.R.200
    • Work, Residency, Transit, and Student Visa – S.R.50
    • Government, Hajj, Umrah, and Extension of exit re-entry are free of cost

Once the application is submitted, it will be reviewed to determine the approval/rejection based on the eligibility criteria and the details/documents provided by the applicants. If approved, visa holders should not overstay the duration mentioned on the visa. Additionally, a business visa does not allow the visa holders to work or reside in Saudi Arabia. Visitors are also required to abide by the country’s Islamic laws and regulations and respect its society’s traditions and values. Following are the types of visas offered by Saudi Arabia:

Also check : Online Indian Visa

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Saudi Arabia Visa Types

  1. Business Visa
  2. Commercial Visa
  3. Employment Visa
  4. Work Visit Visa
  5. Family Visit Visa
  6. Student Visa
  7. Hajj Visa
  8. Residence Visa
  9. Government Visit Visa
  10. Adding New-born-to-Saudi-Residence-Card
  11. Diplomatic and Official Visa
  12. Escort Visa
  13. Extension of Exit/Re-Entry Visa
  14. Personal Visit Visa
  15. Supplemental Journalist Visa Application
  16. Umrah Visa

Eligibility Factors

Family Visit

  • Visa fee – According to the latest rules, the visa fee needs to be paid online only. The applicants do not have the provision to make any kind of offline payments.
  • Passport – At the time of the application, the passport must be valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages.
  • Photographs – Applicant’s photographs must be captured with a white background.
  • Visa processing – The application takes 4-5 working days to be processed.
  • Visa validity – The visa is provided for a maximum of 60 days from the date of issue.
  • Dependants – Dependents who are visiting Saudi Arabia are required to provide marriage certificate (for married applicants) and polio certificate and birth certificate for children.

Check Here : UAE Visa

Business Visit

  • Visa fee – According to the latest rules, the visa fee needs to be paid online only. The applicants do not have the provision to make any kind of offline payments.
  • Passport – At the time of the application, the passport must be valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages.
  • Photographs – Applicant’s photographs must be captured with a white background.
  • Recommendation letter – A Recommendation letter from the Chamber of Commerce. (If the applicant is in Mumbai, he/she will be required to obtain the Recommendation letter from the Indian Merchant Chamber of Commerce.
  • Covering letter – The covering letter must include details of the business and contact addresses of Business Associate in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, details such as the designation of the applicant, nature of the business, etc. are a part of the covering letter which also requires a company seal.
  • Invitation letter – Applicants are also required to submit an invitation letter through the Chamber of Commerce which is arranged by the sponsor in Saudi Arabia.
  • Company registration – A copy of the inviting company’s registration needs to be submitted with the application.
  • Visa processing – The application takes 4-5 working days to be processed.
  • Visa validity – The visa is provided for a maximum of 90 days from the date of issue. The visa is granted for a maximum stay of 30 days.

Business visa is not applicable for professionals who are Technicians, Engineers, Lecturers, Teachers, Professors, Advocates, Software Developers, Mechanics, Doctors, and others since they do not have business as the purpose of visit, however, they can apply for a Work Visa. Business visa is applicable for Managers, Directors, Assistants, Purchase/Store Manager, Managing Directors, Partners, etc. Applicants who visit Saudi Arabia for meetings, conferences, etc. are required to obtain the business/commercial visit visa prior to the intended date of the travel.

Temporary Work Permit Visa

  • Visa fee – According to the latest rules, the visa fee needs to be paid online only. The applicants do not have the provision to make any kind of offline payments.
  • Passport – At the time of the application, the passport must be valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages.
  • Photographs – Applicant’s photographs must be captured with a white background.
  • Covering letter – A cover letter from an Indian organisation or an individual company with details of the business and contact information is required to be submitted. The cover letter should also provide details of the designation of the applicant, nature of the business, etc. with the company’s seal on it.
  • Invitation letter – The invitation letter from the recognized Indian Chamber of Commerce (Indian Company) along with the agreement from the company attested by Saudi Arabia Chamber of Commerce in the name of the Applicant
  • Company registration – A copy of the company’s registration needs to be submitted with the application.
  • Medical certificate – The applicant is required to submit a medical certificate from an Embassy approved doctor.
  • Health insurance – All applicants must submit the medical health insurance certificate issued through the Embassy authorized Enjaz Online System after the payment of USD 125.
  • Experience letter – Experience letter is a part of the application process which requires the applicants to produce the letter for the past two years.
  • Education documents – Based on the type of the work, the individual must submit his/her degree certificates attested by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of External Affairs, and by the Embassy.
  • Air tickets – The applicant is also required to submit a copy of the confirmed airline tickets.
  • Visa fee – The receipt of visa fee payment of S.R.2,000.
  • Visa processing – The application takes 4-5 working days to be processed.
  • Visa validity – The visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days from the date of issue. The visa is granted for a maximum stay of 90 days and can be extended by the sponsor.

Check Here : Visa Renewal

Family Residence

  • Visa fee – According to the latest rules, the visa fee needs to be paid online only. The applicants do not have the provision to make any kind of offline payments.
  • Passport – At the time of the application, the passport must be valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages.
  • Photographs – Applicant’s photographs must be captured with a white background.
  • Medical certificate – The applicant is required to submit a medical certificate from an Embassy approved doctor.
  • Health insurance – All applicants must submit the medical health insurance certificate issued through the Embassy authorized Enjaz Online System after the payment of USD 125.
  • Marriage certificate – If a wife is visiting her husband, she will be required to submit a copy of the Marriage certificate. However, if a child below the age of five years is going to join his/her parents, Polio certificate is required to be submitted along with the application.
  • Visa fee – The receipt of visa fee payment of S.R.2,000.
  • Visa processing – The application takes 4-5 working days to be processed.

Transit Visa

If a traveller has to travel through the territory of KSA and he/she is going to spend more than 12 hours within the KSA territory, a Transit Visa is a must for the individual. In order to apply for a transit visa, the following eligibility criteria are taken into consideration:

  • Visa fee – According to the latest rules, the visa fee needs to be paid online only. The applicants do not have the provision to make any kind of offline payments.
  • Passport – At the time of the application, the passport must be valid for at least six months after the visa expiry date.
  • Photographs – Applicant’s photographs must be captured with a white background.
  • Recommendation letter – A Recommendation letter from the Chamber of Commerce. (If the applicant is in Mumbai, he/she will be required to obtain the Recommendation letter from the Indian Merchant Chamber of Commerce.
  • Health insurance – All applicants must submit the medical health insurance certificate issued through the Embassy authorized Enjaz Online System after the payment of USD 125.
  • Covering letter – A cover letter from an Indian organisation or an individual company with details of the business and contact information is required to be submitted. The cover letter should also provide details of the designation of the applicant, nature of the business, etc. with the company’s seal on it.
  • Visa validity – The Transit Visa comes with a validity of 60 days for a maximum stay up to 72 hours. The visa can be extended to two weeks.

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