Passportly

Middle East · ordinary Indian passport, tourism

Saudi ArabiaVisa required in advance

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on the visa you buy. Saudi Arabia publishes ceilings rather than an entitlement, and which ceiling applies depends on the route. The package visa is single entry, valid three months from your travel start date, and admits you for the length of the package you buy — between 2 and 88 days. A visa issued by an embassy or consulate is “multiple entry or single entry depending on Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, and the multiple-entry version is “valid for a year from its issue date. The visa allows for stays up to 90 days.” We publish no single figure to plan around because no official source states a minimum you are entitled to.

See the options and what they cost →

Checked 17 August 2026 · some details are still being confirmed · 9 official sources

Visa at a glance

Visa fee
SAR 402.21
Entries
Varies by visa
Extendable
No
Passport validity
6 months

On the day you enter

What you need to enter

  • Return or onward ticket

    Required

  • Proof of accommodation

    Required

  • Proof of funds

    Required

    The embassy route asks for a bank statement showing “financial solvency”, without naming a figure. The package route sets its own floor instead: SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days plus SAR 1,000 for each extra day.

  • Travel insurance

    Required

  • Blank passport pages

    Not stated

  • Vaccinations

    Not stated

  • Arrival form

    Not stated

“Not stated” means no official source we checked addresses it either way — not that it is unnecessary. Carry it if in doubt.

When to go

Pick a month to see what the weather actually does.

Each month shows the best of Saudi Arabia's 4 regions — the region is named with it. Peak season is November, December, January, February, March — expect higher prices and crowds.

JanuaryPeak season

Excellent in Riyadh and the interior · the best month to go

Average
14°C
Rainfall
17mm
Rain days
6

The coolest month and the best of the year inland — Riyadh is 20.1°C by day, and the desert nights are genuinely cold at 6.9°C. Jeddah is 28.9°C, which is shirt-sleeve weather on the coast.

  • Riyadh and the interior: Excellent · 14°C · 17mm over 6 days
  • Jeddah and the Red Sea coast: Excellent · 24°C · 11mm over 2 days
  • Asir highlands: Good · 14°C · 17mm over 4 days
  • Tabuk and the north-west: Good · 11°C · 6mm over 5 days

Where you go changes the answer

How Saudi Arabia's regions differ, and when it matters

Saudi Arabia is large enough that no single month describes it. The interior around Riyadh is the extreme: 43.7°C in July and August, and 6.9°C on a January night. The Red Sea coast at Jeddah is milder in winter but humid and hot for most of the year, never dropping below 28.9°C by day. The Asir highlands in the south-west are the exception that makes summer travel possible at all — Abha sits at around 2,200m and averages 30.5°C in July, which is 13 degrees cooler than Riyadh, though it is also the one part of the country with real rain: 48mm across ten days in April. The north-west around Tabuk is a desert winter rather than a tropical one, with January nights at 4.2°C.

What it costs

₹₹₹ · per person per day

  • BudgetHostels, street food, public transport
    ₹4,500
  • Mid-range3-star hotels, restaurants, some activities
    ₹10,000
  • Luxury4–5 star hotels, private transport, experiences
    ₹30,000

Excludes international flights. Our estimate, not an official figure — reviewed 17 August 2026. A typical trip runs 6–10 days.

Where to go

  • AlUla

    Sandstone valleys in the north-west holding Hegra, the Nabataean city carved from rock outcrops by the same civilisation that built Petra, and the mirrored concert hall at Maraya. The country's flagship tourism project, and the reason most first visits happen.

  • Riyadh and Diriyah

    The capital, and the mud-brick city beside it where the Saudi state began — Diriyah's At-Turaif district is a UNESCO site restored as a walkable quarter. Riyadh adds the Kingdom Centre skybridge, the National Museum and the Edge of the World escarpment a couple of hours out.

  • Jeddah

    The Red Sea port and the most relaxed of the big cities. Al-Balad, the old town, is a warren of coral-stone houses with wooden rawasheen balconies; the corniche and the diving are the other half.

  • Asir and Abha

    The green south-west: mountain villages, juniper forest and hanging houses at Rijal Almaa, at around 2,200m. Cool enough in July to be the country's summer escape, and the one region where it actually rains.

  • The Red Sea coast and Farasan Islands

    Reefs that see very few divers, and an archipelago off Jizan with mangroves and migrating birds. The new Red Sea resorts are further north, between Yanbu and Al Wajh.

The full rules

Everything official, quoted rather than summarised.

If you hold another country’s visa or residence

Saudi Arabia eases entry for Indian passport holders who already hold certain documents from other countries. These routes are conditional and the conditions are strict — read them in full, and confirm with your airline before you book, because airlines decide boarding on their own reading of the rules.

United StatesUnited KingdomSchengen Area

Visa on arrival· 90 days per visit

  • What you get: both a visa on arrival and an eVisa, instead of the package or embassy route. The Saudi Tourism Authority's FAQ states it directly — “Yes, USA, UK, and Schengen tourist or business visa holders are eligible for Saudi tourist visa on arrival.”
  • ⚠️ Three conditions on the held visa, and the second catches people out: “Your visa must be a business or tourist visa”, “Your visa must have been used at least once and have an entry stamp from the issuing country (Digital entry stamp are not accepted)”, and your passport must be valid at least six months beyond entry. An unused visa does not qualify, and neither does a digital-only entry record.
  • Returning visitors get a concession: “If you have previously used your Saudi visit visa to enter Saudi Arabia and your Saudi visa is still valid, you do not need to verify the validity of your Schengen, UK, or US visa/residency permit.”
  • What it costs: the visa on arrival is “SAR 395 (about USD 105.32)” with the application fee and medical insurance both included. The eVisa is cheaper at “SAR 339.44 (about USD 90.50)” but medical insurance is “not included (price determined based on the provider)”.
  • How long: “Multiple-entry visa, valid for one year from the date of issuance and allows a stay of no more than (90) consecutive days.” A single-entry visa is “valid for three months from the date of issuance” with the same 90-day limit on the stay itself.
  • For visa on arrival, go straight to passport control on landing rather than applying beforehand.

Saudi Tourism Authority — visa eligibility engine behind the Visa Requirements page: India's group, and the routes for US/UK/Schengen visa holders with fees and validity · read 17 August 2026

United StatesUnited KingdomEuropean Union

Visa on arrival· 90 days per visit

  • A separate route from the one above, and deliberately recorded separately because the set of places is different: this one turns on permanent residence, and it names the EU rather than the Schengen Area. Ireland is in the EU and not in Schengen; Norway and Switzerland are the reverse.
  • The condition, in the authority's words: “You must hold a permanent residence permit from a country located in the U.K., U.S. or EU”, and “Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of entry into Saudi.” The FAQ repeats it: “Yes, U.K, U.S. and EU permanent residents are eligible for Saudi tourist visa on arrival.”
  • ⚠️ “Permanent” is doing work here. A student or work permit is not a permanent residence permit, and nothing we read extends this route to temporary residents.
  • Fees, entries and stay are the same as the visa route above: SAR 395 on arrival with insurance included, or a SAR 339.44 eVisa with insurance extra; up to 90 consecutive days.

Saudi Tourism Authority — official FAQ knowledge base: US/UK/Schengen visa holders and UK/US/EU permanent residents are eligible for a visa on arrival · read 17 August 2026

United Arab EmiratesBahrainQatarKuwaitOman

Simplified application· 90 days per visit

  • What you get: an eVisa you apply for yourself, rather than the package or embassy route. Gulf residents are not offered the visa on arrival that US/UK/Schengen visa holders get — the engine returns the eVisa and the transit visa only.
  • The condition: “You must provide a residency visa from one of the GCC countries with a minimum validity of at least three months beyond the date of entry into Saudi”, plus a passport valid six months beyond entry.
  • Unlike Oman's Gulf-residency route, no profession list is involved — any GCC residency with three months left on it qualifies.
  • Families: “For travelers under 18 years old, the traveler's parent is required to apply for an eVisa first.”
  • Cost and duration are the standard eVisa's: “SAR 339.44 (about USD 90.50)”, medical insurance not included, multiple-entry valid one year with stays of no more than 90 consecutive days.

Saudi Tourism Authority — visa eligibility engine: the GCC-residency route for India's visa group, with its three-month residency validity condition · read 17 August 2026

The detail

Conditions in full, fees, entries, and extending your stay
  • ⚠️ India is not in Saudi Arabia's tourist eVisa programme. The Saudi Tourism Authority's own eligibility engine sorts every nationality into a group, and India's is “Visa by Package” — shared with Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico and Pakistan. The eVisa group is a separate list of 65 countries that India is not on.
  • Without a US, UK or Schengen visa and without Gulf residency, the engine offers an Indian passport four routes, and the two that matter for tourism are a package visa and an embassy or consulate visa.
  • The package visa is “a service that enables visitors from selected nationalities to obtain an instant tourist eVisa through integrated travel packages offered by qualified travel agencies”. You do not apply for it directly — you buy a package that contains it, and the authority states the package must carry a “confirmed hotel booking rated (4) stars or above and licensed by the Ministry of Tourism”, a “confirmed (round-trip) flight booking” and medical insurance.
  • ⚠️ The package route has a published minimum spend: “Minimum package value: SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days, with an additional SAR 1,000 for each extra day.” Up to five children under 18 may accompany you without counting towards it. Minimum package duration is 2 days, maximum 88, travel must begin at least 48 hours after you buy, and one package covers at most 9 adults.
  • The embassy route asks for more paperwork and publishes no fee: “proof of residence (in the country in which you reside), return ticket, proof of employment, financial solvency/bank statement, flight itinerary, identification, residence address (where you are staying in Saudi)”. You must be 18 to travel alone; under-18s need a parent, grandparent or adult sibling.
  • The fee shown above is the package visa's — “SAR 402.21 (including fees)”, with the application fee and medical insurance both included. The embassy route's cost is not published.
  • ⚠️ Makkah is closed to non-Muslims. The authority states plainly: “The holy city of Makkah is reserved for Muslim visitors only, while Al Madinah is open to all tourists.” The package route separately excludes both cities — “Travel destinations: All destinations across Saudi, excluding Makkah and Madinah.”
  • A tourist visa may be used for Umrah but not during the Hajj season, and Umrah or Ziyarah appointments are booked through the Nusuk platform. Hajj needs its own visa from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
  • Tourist visa fees “are non-refundable in any case”, including if the application is rejected.
  • If you hold a US, UK or Schengen visa, permanent residence in the UK, US or EU, or Gulf residency, Saudi Arabia becomes much easier — see “If you hold another country's visa” below.
Extending your stay
Not possible. Every route caps the stay rather than offering to extend it: the electronic and embassy visas allow “a stay of no more than (90) consecutive days”, and the package route sets a “Maximum package duration: 88 days”. No official source we read describes a tourist extension inside the Kingdom.
Number of entries
Varies — confirm with the embassy for your itinerary.
Visa fee
SAR 402.21.

Common questions

Do Indians need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
Indian ordinary passport holders must arrange a visa in advance to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism. On this page some details are still being confirmed — confirm with the relevant embassy before booking a non-refundable ticket. Last checked 17 August 2026.
How long must my passport be valid to enter Saudi Arabia?
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the date you enter Saudi Arabia. Renew before you travel if it expires sooner.
How much money do I need to show to enter Saudi Arabia?
Officials may ask you to show funds on arrival. The embassy route asks for a bank statement showing “financial solvency”, without naming a figure. The package route sets its own floor instead: SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days plus SAR 1,000 for each extra day.
When is the best time to visit Saudi Arabia?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. These ratings are based on climate normals measured at Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Tabouk. Saudi Arabia has more than one climate — a month counts as good if any region is, so check the month-by-month breakdown to see which one before booking.
How much does a trip to Saudi Arabia cost per day?
Roughly ₹4,500 per day on a budget, ₹10,000 mid-range, or ₹30,000 for luxury travel — per person, excluding international flights. Estimated 17 August 2026.

Sources

Every visa fact on this page comes from one of these. Verified by Rahul Chhabrani on 17 August 2026.

  1. Saudi Tourism Authority — the eligibility engine behind the official Visa Requirements page: nationality groups, per-route fees, validity and requirements

    Government · read 17 August 2026 · source last updated 2 June 2026

  2. Saudi Tourism Authority — nationality-to-visa-group table used by the same page: India in “Visa by Package” with six other countries, against 65 in the eVisa-eligible group

    Government · read 17 August 2026

  3. Saudi Tourism Authority — Saudi Arabia Visa Requirements page, published 2 June 2026

    Government · read 17 August 2026 · source last updated 2 June 2026

  4. Saudi Tourism Authority — official FAQ knowledge base: visa on arrival for US/UK/Schengen visa holders and UK/US/EU permanent residents, Makkah restricted to Muslim visitors, fees non-refundable

    Government · read 17 August 2026

  5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs — KSA Visa portal visa catalogue: tourism as a purpose of the visit visa, and the embassy/consulate route

    Government · read 17 August 2026

  6. WMO World Weather Information Service — Riyadh normals, 1982–2011, supplied by Saudi Arabia

    Intergovernmental · read 17 August 2026

  7. WMO World Weather Information Service — Jeddah normals, 1982–2011, supplied by Saudi Arabia

    Intergovernmental · read 17 August 2026

  8. WMO World Weather Information Service — Abha normals, 1982–2011, supplied by Saudi Arabia

    Intergovernmental · read 17 August 2026

  9. WMO World Weather Information Service — Tabouk normals, 1982–2011, supplied by Saudi Arabia

    Intergovernmental · read 17 August 2026

Before you book

This page covers ordinary Indian passports, for tourism only. Rules for business, study, transit and diplomatic or official passports differ and are not covered here.

Visa rules change without notice. Everything here was checked against official sources on 17 August 2026, and some details are still being confirmed. The final decision on entry always rests with immigration officers at the border. Confirm with the embassy before booking anything non-refundable.

See the 9 sources behind this page →