Saudi Arabia visa on arrival for citizens of the United States: conditions and fees 2026

A visa is required for Saudi Arabia, and citizens of the United States can obtain it on arrival, for stays up to 90 days.

Data updated on 25 October 2026

Apply online through iVisa

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Indicative information: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before booking. Our methodology · Official portal

United States

Saudi Arabia

Other direction

Official fee

300 SAR

Processing time

On arrival

Allowed stay

90 days

Our guide to the Saudi Arabia visa from the United States

U.S. citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia, but it is easy to obtain: an electronic visa requested online before departure, with a visa on arrival available at some entry points.

A traveller from the United States hoping to explore Riyadh, Jeddah or the AlUla region needs an entry authorisation. For tourism, Saudi Arabia offers an e-Visa that Americans apply for online, and visa on arrival is provided at certain airports. The passport must remain valid for several months.

Do you need a visa?

Yes, a visa is required for U.S. nationals. The good news is that a tourist visit does not require an embassy appointment: the e-Visa is requested online, and visa on arrival is available to eligible travellers at some border posts. For work or a long stay, a different visa category applies.

How much does a visa for Saudi Arabia cost from the United States?

300 SAR

Official government fee only. Providers and visa centres add their own service charge on top.

Saudi Arabia eVisa, applied for online before departure: 130 USD.

What does a visa for Saudi Arabia really cost?

The published fee is the government charge alone. Two or three other lines are added before the visa is in the passport, and they are what makes the final bill.

Government fee300 SAR
Paid to the state, non-refundable if the visa is refused.
Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
Never compulsory. An intermediary fills the form for you, it does not change the decision or the processing time.

We only display amounts published by an official source. Confirm the total before paying anything.

What documents are required for a visa for Saudi Arabia?

Documents required for a visa for Saudi Arabia:

Passport valid 6 months beyond stay
Online application (no paper form)
Digital photo (recent)
Visa fee payment
Proof of sufficient funds

Documents and fees

Have a U.S. passport valid for at least six months, a compliant photo and an address of stay. Health insurance is generally bundled with the tourist visa. The exact visa fee and insurance cost are not confirmed here: check the official portal for the tariff in force at the time you apply.

How to apply for a visa for Saudi Arabia from the United States

1Check before departure that your entry point actually issues the visa on arrival.
2Prepare the supporting documents and the fee, often required in cash.
3Complete the form at the dedicated counter after landing.
4Pay the fee and collect the sticker before immigration control.

Official portal

Another route is open to your nationality: Saudi Arabia eVisa, applied for online before departure.

Apply on the official site

How and where to apply

The simplest route for an American is to apply for the electronic tourist visa on the official portal visa.mofa.gov.sa before leaving. The traveller creates an account, completes the form and receives the authorisation electronically. Alternatively, a visa on arrival may be issued at entry points that offer it; check what applies at your airport.

Where do you apply for a visa for Saudi Arabia from the United States?

A visa on arrival for Saudi Arabia is issued at the border post itself, at a counter placed before immigration control.

Not every crossing issues it. Confirm that your specific airport or land border does before you book.
The counter is reached after landing and before immigration. Follow the visa signs rather than the exit.
The fee is usually paid on the spot, sometimes in cash and in a specific currency. Card is not guaranteed.

Using an online service

You never have to use an intermediary. If you would rather have a service fill in and file the application online for you before departure, iVisa does it for a service fee, charged on top of the official fees. It does not change the decision.

File my application with iVisa

Partner link: IziVisas earns a commission if you order, at no extra cost to you.

You live in the United States on another passport?

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in the United States but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Your nationality

Pick your nationality to see the rule

How long does a visa for Saudi Arabia take?

A visa on arrival is issued at the counter of the entry point when you cross the border: there is no processing time to plan for before departure.

Through the online application (Saudi Arabia eVisa): Instant in most cases.

Processing and tips

The Saudi e-Visa is usually fast, but no processing time is guaranteed in this guide; apply ahead of time. Confirm any specific entry conditions (for example a pilgrimage, which follows a separate procedure) and respect local stay rules. Keep a copy of the authorisation, both printed and on your phone.

Before you fly, and at the border

Passport validity: most countries require the passport to stay valid beyond the return date, and the margin required differs from one destination to the next. Check it on the official source, and count from your return, not from your departure.
A visa is not a right of entry. The border officer decides, and may ask for a return ticket, an address or proof of funds even when everything is in order.
Conditional exemptions exist: several countries waive the visa for holders of a valid visa or residence permit from a third country. This depends on the destination and on the document, and we do not publish that rule when our sources do not carry it. The official page does.
Minors travelling alone or with one parent are often asked for extra papers, typically a parental authorisation and the family record. Ask the post before booking.
Overstaying is not a formality. It exposes you to a fine, to removal, and to an entry ban that can outlast the trip by years, including for the whole area when the destination belongs to one.

Common mistakes

Americans sometimes confuse the tourist visa with Hajj or Umrah permits, which have their own rules. Other pitfalls: a passport too close to expiry, details that do not match the passport, and using paid third-party sites instead of the official ministry portal.

Plan your trip

Nomad Insurance travel cover (SafetyWing)

Medical cover and repatriation, can be taken out mid-trip.

Flights (Trip.com)

Compare flights and airlines for your trip.

eSIM data (Saily)

Stay connected on landing, with no roaming charges. Requires an eSIM-compatible phone.

Tours and activities (GetYourGuide)

Book excursions ahead, with free cancellation on most activities.

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Other visa types for Saudi Arabia

A tourist stay is not the only purpose. These are the other permits the destination issues and that your nationality is eligible for, each with its own fee and processing time.

4 more visa types

Official sources

Guide generated automatically on July 26, 2026, from the verified catalogue.

How we verify this data

Short-stay (tourism)

Visa on arrival

Entry regime

Visa on arrival

Duration

90 days

Price

300 SAR

Apply online

Via iVisa, paid service, partner link

Saudi Arabia visa on arrival for citizens of the United States: conditions and fees 2026