Saudi Visit Visa From Pakistan 2026: Requirements, Fees and How to Apply

Saudi Arabia is the single most visited country for Pakistani travellers. Millions travel every year for Umrah, to see family, for work-related visits, and increasingly for tourism to Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla and the Red Sea coast. Yet Saudi Arabia does not offer Pakistani passport holders one simple “visit visa” that covers everyone. The route you use depends on why you are travelling, who is inviting you, and which visas you already hold.

The most important fact to understand first is this: Pakistan is not on the list of nationalities that can apply directly for the Saudi tourist eVisa through the Visit Saudi portal. The official portal lists 68 eligible countries, and Pakistan is not among them. That does not mean you cannot visit. It means you must use one of the other official routes explained in this guide: the Package Visa, a family or friends visit visa, an Umrah visa, a stopover visa, or a visit visa through the embassy route.

This guide covers each route separately, with the fees, documents and steps verified against official Saudi sources on 15 October 2026. Read the route that matches your trip, and ignore the rest. Mixing up routes is the most common reason Pakistani applicants waste money.

Key Facts at a Glance

Detail	Summary
Direct tourist eVisa for Pakistani passport holders	Not available; Pakistan is not on the 68-country eVisa list
Main tourism route	Package Visa (pilot): book a qualifying package through an accredited provider
Main family route	Family visit visa: sponsor invites you through the KSA Visa / MOFA platform
Main pilgrimage route	Umrah visa through the Nusuk platform or a licensed agent
Shortest route	Stopover visa: up to 96 hours when transiting on Saudia or Flynas
Hajj on a visit visa	Not permitted; Hajj requires the separate official Hajj route
Passport validity	At least 6 months from the date of entry
Information checked	15 October 2026

Which Saudi Visit Visa Route Fits Your Trip?

Your situation	Use this route
You want a holiday in Saudi Arabia (not Makkah or Madinah)	Package Visa
A spouse, parent, child or sibling lives in Saudi Arabia	Family visit visa
A Saudi citizen friend is inviting you	Friends visit visa (citizen sponsor)
You want to perform Umrah	Umrah visa, or a visit visa that permits Umrah
You hold a valid, used Schengen, UK or US visit visa, or US, EU or UK permanent residency	Instant eVisa or visa on arrival under the KSA Visa rules
You are transiting through Saudi Arabia on Saudia or Flynas	Stopover (transit) visa, up to 96 hours
You want to perform Hajj	Official Hajj route only, never a visit visa

If more than one route fits, choose the one with the simplest evidence. A family visit with a genuine sponsor is usually simpler than a tourism package, and an Umrah visa is usually simpler than either if Umrah is the real purpose of the trip.

Route 1: The Package Visa (Tourism)

The Package Visa is Saudi Arabia’s tourism route for travellers whose countries are not on the direct eVisa list. It was launched as a pilot in July 2026 by the Ministry of Tourism and the Saudi Tourism Authority. Pakistan is one of the seven pilot countries, along with Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Jordan and Mexico.

How the Package Visa works

Instead of applying for a visa on its own, you buy a complete tourism package from an accredited provider and the electronic tourist visa is issued as part of that booking. The accredited providers named at launch were Reserval and Almosafer, and Webook.com was later licensed to offer the same service. Book only through a provider that the Saudi authorities list as accredited, and confirm that status on the provider’s own page before paying.

Package Visa rules

Rule	Detail
Entry	Single entry
Validity	Three months from the scheduled departure date
Minimum stay	2 days
Maximum stay	88 days
Hotel	Ministry-licensed hotel rated 4 stars or higher
Flights	Confirmed round-trip flight booking
Minimum package value	SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days combined
Extra days	Minimum SAR 1,000 per adult per additional day
Visa and insurance fee	SAR 402.21 (includes health insurance)
Processing	Finalised within a maximum of 48 hours after purchase
Booking deadline	Complete the booking at least 48 hours before departure

An important restriction on the Package Visa

Almosafer’s published Package Visa terms state that travel to Makkah or Madinah is not permitted under this specific visa programme. That is a major difference from other Saudi visit routes, and it catches many travellers out. If Makkah or Madinah is part of your plan, do not use the Package Visa. Use an Umrah visa or another visit route that permits Umrah and entry to the holy cities, and confirm the position on the provider’s page before you pay. Pilot programmes change, so re-check the terms at booking time even if you have read them before.

Package Visa application steps

1. Choose a qualifying package (flights plus 4-star or higher hotel) from an accredited provider.
2. Enter your passport and personal details exactly as they appear in your passport.
3. Pay for the package and the SAR 402.21 visa and insurance fee.
4. Wait for verification. The electronic visa and insurance are issued after your booking and details are verified, within a maximum of 48 hours.
5. Receive your visa, flight details, hotel confirmation and documents by email. Print a copy and keep a digital copy on your phone.

Route 2: Family and Friends Visit Visa

The family visit visa is the route most Pakistani families actually use. It applies when a relative or friend in Saudi Arabia invites you. The invitation is the heart of the application: without an approved invitation, there is no family visit visa.

Who can invite you

• A Saudi resident holding a valid work Iqama can invite first-degree relatives: spouse, parents and children.
• A Saudi citizen can invite first-degree relatives and, in some cases, friends, where the relationship can be verified.
• The sponsor starts the process inside Saudi Arabia through the KSA Visa platform (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform). The visitor in Pakistan does not start it.

How the family visit visa works

1. The sponsor submits an invitation request on the KSA Visa platform with the visitor’s details and proof of relationship.
2. The sponsor gets the request attested where required. For company employees this is usually attestation through the chamber of commerce; for domestic workers and others on individual sponsorship, the sponsor uses their own KSA Visa account.
3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reviews the invitation. Approval commonly takes around 3 business days, longer if extra checks are needed.
4. Once the invitation is approved, the visitor in Pakistan completes the visa application, pays the fees, and books a biometrics appointment at a Tasheer (Etimad) centre in Pakistan. Guides for Pakistan list centres serving Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, with the correct centre depending on which embassy your application falls under.
5. The visitor attends the appointment with passport, photographs, the invitation approval and relationship documents, and gives fingerprints and a photograph.
6. The visa is issued and the passport is returned. Do not book non-refundable travel until the visa is in hand.

Family visit visa fees

The KSA Visa platform lists the following fee structure for visit visas: a visa fee of USD 80 (refundable), a visa digital services fee of USD 10.50 (non-refundable), an insurance digital services fee of USD 10.50 (non-refundable), and insurance fees based on the selected provider. Service-centre charges for biometrics and handling are separate and are paid at the Tasheer (Etimad) stage. Treat any agent who quotes a single “total” without breaking it down with caution, and ask for the official fee receipt.

Documents for a family visit visa

• Passport valid for at least 6 months with at least two blank pages.
• Recent passport photographs (white background, per the portal’s photo specifications).
• Copy of the sponsor’s Iqama or Saudi national ID.
• The approved invitation / visa authorisation.
• Proof of relationship: marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) for a spouse, birth certificates for children, or the equivalent attested document for parents and in-laws. Documents generally need attestation; confirm the current attestation chain with the embassy or service centre rather than assuming an old list is still valid.
• Copy of your CNIC.
• Completed visa application form.
• Medical insurance, bought as part of the process on the platform.

Stay and extension

The length of stay is set when the visa is issued. Family visit visas are commonly issued for stays of up to 90 days per visit, and single-entry and multiple-entry versions exist. Extensions are handled inside Saudi Arabia by the host, commonly through Absher, subject to the current rules and any overstay fines. Never overstay: overstaying a Saudi visa can mean fines, detention, deportation and a future ban. If your plans change, apply for an extension before the visa expires, not after.

Route 3: Visit Visa via the KSA Visa Platform and Embassy

The KSA Visa platform (ksavisa.sa) is the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs platform for visit visas. Its tourism page sets out three channels: an instant electronic visa, a visa through service centres or embassies, and a visa on arrival.

Who qualifies for the instant eVisa or visa on arrival

Under the KSA Visa tourism rules, the instant eVisa and visa on arrival channels are available to:

• Citizens of the eligible eVisa countries.
• Holders of valid visit visas for Schengen, the USA or the UK.
• Permanent residents of the USA, the EU or the UK.
• Residents of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country (eVisa channel).

For Pakistani passport holders, the practical point is the second and third bullet. If you hold a valid, used Schengen, UK or US visit visa, or US, EU or UK permanent residency, you may qualify for the instant eVisa or visa on arrival. The KSA Visa page states that the visa on arrival channel is open to holders of Schengen, USA and UK visit visas and to permanent residents of the USA, EU and UK. Check the exact conditions on the platform before travelling, including whether the third-country visa must already have been used, because airlines and border officers apply the rules strictly.

The embassy route

If you do not qualify for the instant channels, the KSA Visa platform provides the embassy route: apply through the platform and then proceed to the Saudi embassy in your country of residence, or through a visa service centre where one is present. This is the fallback route for ordinary tourism applications from Pakistan that do not fit the Package Visa or a family invitation.

What this visa allows

The KSA Visa tourism page states that the visit visa for tourism permits tourism activities, events, visiting family and friends, and Umrah. It does not permit Hajj, study or work. The platform gives a service duration of 1 minute to 3 business days and the same fee structure as above: USD 80 visa fee (refundable), USD 10.50 visa digital services fee (non-refundable), USD 10.50 insurance digital services fee (non-refundable), plus insurance based on the selected provider.

Route 4: Umrah Visa

For most Pakistani travellers whose main purpose is Umrah, the Umrah visa is the most direct route. Umrah visas must be obtained in advance, and applications run through the official Nusuk Umrah platform and licensed agents.

The “No Booking, No Visa” rule

For the 1447 AH (2026) Umrah season, Saudi Arabia enforces a booking-linked rule: an Umrah visa application must be tied to a confirmed hotel Booking Reference Number (BRN) in the Nusuk system, along with pre-booked transport arrangements, and verified round-trip flight tickets. Independent hotel bookings on third-party websites are not accepted as proof for the visa application. Even travellers who intend to stay with family or friends must add a verified hotel booking in Nusuk for the visa to be processed. Arrange the Nusuk-registered booking first; the visa follows the booking, not the other way round.

Umrah visa documents

• Original passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry.
• Passport-sized photographs (white background).
• Copy of your NADRA CNIC, or B-Form for infants and children.
• Confirmed Nusuk hotel booking (BRN) covering every night of stay, plus transport vouchers.
• Confirmed return flight ticket.
• Vaccination certificates (see the health section below).
• Family relationship documents where relevant, for example a marriage certificate or Family Registration Certificate.

Umrah season dates (1448 AH)

For the 1448 AH season, visa issuance resumed on 31 May 2026 and pilgrims have been able to enter Makkah since 1 June 2026. Published season deadlines are: last date to issue an Umrah visa, 9 March 2027; last date to enter Saudi Arabia, 23 March 2027; and last date to depart the Kingdom, 7 April 2027. These dates are set by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and can change, so confirm them on the Nusuk platform before finalising travel.

Umrah visa processing and cost

In Pakistan, Umrah visas are processed through approved travel agents working on the Nusuk system. Processing commonly takes around 7 to 10 working days after all documents and Nusuk bookings are submitted. The Umrah visa itself carries a government fee, but the total amount a pilgrim pays includes insurance, agent service charges, transport and accommodation, so totals vary widely by package and season. Get a written breakdown before paying, and apply at least 60 days ahead for Ramadan and peak periods.

Women travelling for Umrah

Saudi rules now allow women of all ages to travel and perform Umrah without a mahram (male guardian), provided they travel with a licensed, organised group. Confirm the group-travel condition with your agent before booking, since individual arrangements differ.

Route 5: Stopover (Transit) Visa, Up to 96 Hours

If you are flying through Saudi Arabia on Saudia or Flynas, you can add a short stop in the Kingdom without a full visit visa. The stopover visa allows a stay of up to 96 hours (four days), is single entry, and is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. It is applied for during the flight booking flow with Saudia or Flynas. The visa itself is issued free of charge, with small processing and medical insurance charges reported at around SAR 39.50 for processing plus insurance starting at around SAR 13. Confirm the exact charges in the booking flow, since they are set by the airline process and can change.

During a stopover you may perform Umrah, but you must still book your Umrah or Ziyarah appointments in advance through the Nusuk platform. A 96-hour window is tight for Umrah plus travel between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, so plan the itinerary hour by hour before you book.

Health Requirements: Vaccinations

Health rules for pilgrims change frequently, and airlines check certificates at check-in. For the Umrah season 1447H (2026), Saudi health requirements as reported in September 2026 require Pakistani Umrah pilgrims to hold a meningococcal vaccine certificate and at least one dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). The meningococcal certificate must be issued at least 10 days before arrival. For polio, older GACA guidance required the certificate to be issued at least four weeks before departure, with oral polio certificates no more than six months old and inactivated polio certificates valid up to twelve months. Pakistan’s Border Health Services issues NADRA-linked vaccination certificates at airports and designated centres; confirm the current fee and timing there rather than relying on a figure from an old article.

Note that the meningitis rule has changed back and forth: Saudi aviation authorities suspended the meningitis requirement in early 2025, and it reappears in the 1447H requirements reported in 2026. Because the rules genuinely flip, verify the current requirement with your airline and agent in the week you travel, and carry the original certificates. Seasonal influenza vaccination is listed as a recommendation rather than a mandatory requirement for Umrah 1447H.

Documents Checklist (All Routes)

Use this master checklist, then follow the section for your route:

• Passport valid at least 6 months from entry, with blank pages.
• Recent passport photographs (white background, portal specifications).
• Copy of CNIC (and B-Form for children).
• Route evidence: package booking, approved invitation, Nusuk BRN, or onward flight for a stopover.
• Proof of accommodation for the whole stay.
• Return or onward ticket.
• Medical insurance (included in most routes, but confirm it is active).
• Vaccination certificates where required.
• Proof of relationship for family visits (attested marriage or birth certificate).
• Payment card or funds for the official fees, separate from any agent charges.
• Printed and digital copies of the visa, insurance and bookings.

Fees Summary

Route	Official fee (as published)	Notes
Package Visa	SAR 402.21 visa + insurance	Plus the qualifying package (min SAR 4,000/adult for 2 days)
KSA Visa visit visa (eVisa / embassy)	USD 80 + USD 10.50 + USD 10.50 + insurance	USD 80 refundable; service fees non-refundable
Family visit visa	Same KSA Visa fee structure	Plus Tasheer (Etimad) service-centre charges
Umrah visa	Government fee + insurance + agent charges	Total depends on package; get a written breakdown
Stopover visa	Visa free; processing + insurance charges	Around SAR 39.50 + from SAR 13, confirmed at booking

Never pay an agent a lump sum without a written breakdown that separates official government fees from the agent’s own charges. Official fees are published on the KSA Visa platform and on accredited providers’ pages. If a quote cannot be reconciled with those published figures, walk away.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply

1. Decide the route from the table at the top of this guide. Do not start paying until the route is settled.
2. Check your passport: 6 months validity from entry, blank pages, and details matching every other document.
3. Gather the documents for your route, and get relationship documents attested early. Attestation is the slowest step for family visits.
4. Complete the official application: the accredited provider’s platform (Package Visa), the KSA Visa platform (family, friends, embassy routes), the Nusuk platform or a licensed agent (Umrah), or the airline booking flow (stopover).
5. Pay the official fees on the official platform, and keep every receipt.
6. Book biometrics if your route requires them (Tasheer / Etimad centres in Pakistan for family visit visas).
7. Wait for issuance. Do not book non-refundable hotels or connecting travel until the visa is issued.
8. Check the visa when it arrives: name spelling, passport number, validity dates, single or multiple entry, and stay duration. Errors are far easier to fix before you fly.
9. Book Umrah or Rawdah appointments on Nusuk if your trip includes Makkah or Madinah.
10. Carry printed and digital copies of the visa, insurance, bookings and vaccination certificates.

Common Mistakes That Cause Refusals or Delays

• Applying for the direct tourist eVisa as a Pakistani passport holder and paying a third-party site that promises it. The direct eVisa list does not include Pakistan.
• Using the Package Visa for a trip that includes Makkah or Madinah. The programme’s own terms exclude the holy cities.
• Starting a family visit application in Pakistan before the sponsor’s invitation is approved in Saudi Arabia.
• Booking a hotel outside the Nusuk system and expecting it to support an Umrah visa.
• Submitting relationship documents that are not attested, or attested in the wrong order.
• Travelling on a visit visa and working, or overstaying. Both carry fines, detention, deportation and future bans.
• Paying an unlicensed agent in cash with no receipt and no written breakdown.
• Assuming a visit visa allows Hajj. It does not, under any route in this guide.
• Arriving with a passport that has less than 6 months validity, or with a name spelling that differs between the passport and the visa.

What to Do If Your Application Is Refused

Read the refusal notice carefully and fix the actual reason rather than reapplying with the same documents. Common fixable causes are incomplete evidence, unattested relationship documents, a passport-validity problem, or the wrong route. The KSA Visa platform states that eVisa application fees are not refundable if the application is not accepted, while the USD 80 visa fee itself is listed as refundable. Keep the refusal notice, correct the specific issue, and reapply through the correct route. If an agent caused the error, ask the agent in writing to correct it at their cost.

Related Guides

If you are comparing destinations before you decide where to travel, TourPointGo’s other guides cover the same structure for each country: the UAE visit visa from Pakistan, the Turkey visit visa from Pakistan, the UK visit visa from Pakistan, the Canada visitor visa from Pakistan, the Australia visit visa from Pakistan, and the Schengen visit visa from Pakistan for Europe. Note that holding a valid, used Schengen, UK or US visit visa can also open the Saudi instant eVisa or visa-on-arrival channel described above.

For another Gulf destination, see our Qatar visit visa from Pakistan guide.

For a short Gulf break across the King Fahd Causeway, see our Bahrain visit visa from Pakistan guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pakistanis apply for a Saudi tourist eVisa directly?

No. Pakistan is not among the 68 nationalities eligible for the direct tourist eVisa on the Visit Saudi portal. Pakistani travellers use the Package Visa, a family or friends visit visa, an Umrah visa, a stopover visa, or the embassy route.

What is the cheapest way to visit Saudi Arabia from Pakistan?

For a short transit, the stopover visa on Saudia or Flynas is cheapest, allowing up to 96 hours. For a full holiday, the Package Visa’s minimum package is SAR 4,000 per adult for two days plus SAR 402.21 in visa and insurance fees. For family visits, the KSA Visa fee structure is USD 80 plus USD 10.50 plus USD 10.50 plus insurance, plus service-centre charges.

Can I perform Umrah on a Saudi visit visa?

Yes, on the routes that permit it. The KSA Visa tourism page states that Umrah is permitted on its visit visa, and Umrah visas exist specifically for pilgrimage. However, the Package Visa’s own terms exclude Makkah and Madinah, so do not use the Package Visa for Umrah. Hajj is not permitted on any visit visa.

How long does a Saudi family visit visa take from Pakistan?

The invitation stage in Saudi Arabia commonly takes around 3 business days. After that, the visitor completes the application, attends a Tasheer (Etimad) biometrics appointment in Pakistan, and waits for issuance. Overall, allow one to two weeks and apply well before peak periods such as Ramadan and Eid holidays.

Do I need a sponsor for a Saudi visit visa?

It depends on the route. The family and friends visit visa requires a sponsor in Saudi Arabia. The Package Visa does not require a personal sponsor; the accredited provider’s package is the basis of the application. The Umrah visa runs through Nusuk and licensed agents rather than a personal sponsor.

Can I extend a Saudi family visit visa?

Extensions are handled inside Saudi Arabia by the host, commonly through Absher, subject to the rules in force at the time. Family visit stays are commonly up to 90 days per visit. Apply for an extension before the visa expires. Overstaying risks fines, detention, deportation and a future ban.

Can women travel to Saudi Arabia without a mahram?

For Umrah, Saudi rules now allow women of all ages to travel without a mahram, provided they travel with a licensed, organised group. For general tourism and family visits, no mahram requirement applies to the visa itself, but confirm group-travel conditions with your agent for Umrah bookings.

Do I need health insurance for a Saudi visit visa?

Yes. Medical insurance is mandatory and is built into every route in this guide: it is included in the Package Visa fee of SAR 402.21, and it is charged as part of the KSA Visa platform fees. Confirm the policy is active and covers the whole stay, and carry the certificate.

Conclusion

Saudi Arabia offers Pakistani travellers several genuine routes, but no single one-size-fits-all visit visa. The right choice is the one that matches your real purpose: the Package Visa for tourism outside the holy cities, a family visit visa when a relative invites you, an Umrah visa for pilgrimage, or a stopover visa for a short transit. Check the official platform for your route, keep every receipt, and never pay for a route that the official sources do not offer. Planned this way, a Saudi trip from Pakistan is straightforward.

Disclaimer: This guide is independent visa information, not immigration advice and not an official government publication. Rules, fees and pilot-programme terms change. Always confirm the current requirements on the official platform for your route (KSA Visa, Visit Saudi, Nusuk, or the accredited provider) before paying or travelling. Information checked 15 October 2026.

Sources

• KSA Visa (official Saudi government platform), Visit visa for tourism: https://ksavisa.sa/visa/tourism/details
• Visit Saudi, Saudi eVisa official portal: https://visa.visitsaudi.com
• Nusuk Umrah Platform: https://umrah.nusuk.sa/Index
• Almosafer, Package Visa terms: https://www.almosafer.com/mweb/offers/visa-page
• Khaleej Times, Saudi Arabia’s tourist visa package: process, fees, eligible countries: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/gulf/saudi-arabia-package-visa-for-tourists-fees-process-eligible-countries
• Wego Travel Blog, Umrah vaccine requirements: https://blog.wego.com/umrah-vaccine/