Saudi: Health insurance coverage mandatory for visit visa renewal

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Health Insurance Council said a new health insurance premium is required to renew visitor visas, local media reported on Thursday.

In a statement on its Twitter account, the council said, “When requesting an extension of the visit visa, a new insurance cover must be issued for the extended period and linked to the website of the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat).”

Health insurance coverage can be obtained through licensed insurance companies in the Kingdom such as Tawuniya, Bupa, Medgulf, GulfUnion, Arabian Shield Cooperative Insurance, Arabia Cooperative Insurance, Al-Etihad Cooperative, Al-Sagr Cooperative Health Insurance, AXA Cooperative, Allied Cooperative Insurance Group (ACIG), Al- Rajhi Takaful, Walaa, and Saudi Enaya.

On November 8, 2022, the Saudi Council of Ministers announced the amendment of the length of stay in the event of a single entry for all purposes of the visit visa, and the validity of the visit visa for expatriates.

According to what was published by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, the length of stay in the case of a single entry for all purposes of the visit visa has been modified to be 3 months instead of a month.

The Council also agreed to amend the visa structure schedule so that the validity of the transit visa for the visit is 3 months, the duration of stay is 96 hours, and without a fee.

Visitors can obtain a multi-visit visa valid for a full year, which will allow them to stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days.

The multiple visa allows the practice of tourism activities and the performance of Umrah (except for the Haj season) and does not include the practice of other activities such as studying.

GCC nationals are only required to present a valid passport, and a visa is not required.

These amendments are part of the Kingdom’s plans to attract more visitors to the country, reaching 100 million tourists by 2030.