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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has announced the establishment of a new stopover visa in partnership with the Ministries of Tourism (MT), Interior (MOI), Hajj and Umrah (MOHU), Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), and flynas.
The complementary stopover visa is offered to more nations than the historic tourism eVisa and is Saudi Arabia‘s latest effort to make the destination more accessible. In the first quarter of this year, airline capacity in Saudi Arabia is predicted to increase by more than 65% over the same period in 2022, when four of the top ten busiest international routes were to or from Saudi.
The stopover visa would allow passengers to stay in Saudi Arabia for up to 96 hours, allowing more visitors than ever before to enjoy the country’s unparalleled historical, cultural, and spiritual landmarks.
The stopover visa will also let travellers perform the spiritual Umrah ceremony. Spiritual travellers can book flights via SAUDIA and flynas, but they must also register for Umrah via the Nusuk website.
Even better, when booking through SAUDIA, stopover visa holders will be eligible for complimentary one-night hotel accommodation during the stopover.
Custom 24, 48, 72, and 96-hour itineraries have been devised to motivate visitors to stroll around Jeddah’s Al-Balad or visit the Al-Turaif area in Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Visitors can also use the Stopover Visa to break up long-haul flights, plan a bonus trip to enjoy Saudi Arabia’s booming entertainment and seasonal event calendar, or even extend a business trip on the way to their final destination.
