BREAKING: Find out which countries are eligible for a Saudi visa waive

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is opening up its doors to the world announcing that tourist visas will be available to citizens from 49 countries. See below for the list of countries. 

For the first time, tourists can now apply for a visa through Saudi embassies and consulates across the world. Previously, this process was very complex and required invitations from companies and individuals living in Saudi to sponsor the visitors.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), announced the launch of the tourist visa for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at an event in Ad-Diriyah, a Unesco World Heritage Site in Riyadh.

Citizens from 49 countries will also be able to apply for an e-visa or receive a visa upon arrival into Saudi Arabia. A dedicated online portal at visitsaudi.com was also launched and electronic kiosks are set to be available at airports to facilitate requests.

The following 49 countries will be eligible to apply for e-visas and visas on arrival:

1. USA
2. Canada
3. Kazakhstan
4. Singapore
5. Brunei
6. New Zealand
7. South Korea
8. Japan
9. Spain
10. Belgium
11. Malaysia
12. Austria
13. Cyprus
14. UK
15. Croatia
16. Estonia
17. Andorra
18. Denmark
19. Germany
20. Bulgaria
21. France
22. Hungary
23. Czech Republic
24. Holland
25. Italy
26. Finland
27. Ireland
28. Lithuania
29. Greece
30. Liechtenstein
31. Monaco
32. Iceland
33. Malta
34. Poland
35. Latvia
36. Norway
37. Russia
38. Luxembourg
39. Romania
40. Slovenia
41. Montenegro
42. Slovakia
43. Switzerland
44. Portugal
45. Sweden
46. Australia
47. San Marino
48. Ukraine
49. China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan

The tourist visa allows for a stay of up to 3 months per entry, with visitors able to spend up to 90 days a year in Saudi Arabia. The visa is valid for one year with multiple entries.

The cost of applying for an e-visa or a visa on arrival is 440 riyals (around $117) plus VAT.

Saudi Arabia intends to extend the e-visa scheme to other countries in due course.