A Saudi family visit is started by your relative living in the Kingdom: they file the request on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform for first-degree relatives (spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law), then your side is completed in Türkiye. You need a passport valid six months, a valid Turkish residence permit for non-Turks, translated family documents and medical insurance. It can be extended inside the Kingdom through Absher and allows Umrah outside the Hajj season. Note: nationals of 14 countries including Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan have received single-entry visas only since February 2025.
More than half of the Saudi enquiries we get from Istanbul residents are about family: a father who wants to see his son working in Riyadh, a wife joining her husband in Jeddah for months, a grandmother attending a grandchild's birth in Dammam. The family visit is the natural route for all of this, but it has two stages: a request from your relative in the Kingdom, then your own file in Türkiye. This guide explains both in detail.
One visit, from request to arrival
An illustrative case built from situations we see often, not a specific client.
Umm Mohammad, 61, is a Syrian living in Gaziantep on a family residence permit; her son Mohammad is an engineer in Riyadh with an iqama valid for a full year. He wanted her to spend Ramadan with him and perform Umrah. He filed the visit request on the platform with her name and passport details exactly as written and received a request number. He sent it to us; we checked her documents — passport valid, Turkish permit valid beyond the trip — and gave her family record, which proves she's his mother, a sworn translation. We issued the insurance and followed up until the visa was issued, then booked her flight from Gaziantep via Istanbul to Riyadh and an Umrah permit in the last ten nights through Nusuk. A week before it ran out, Mohammad extended it through Absher for another month.
The lesson: matching details between the host's request and the visitor's passport is half the battle; the other half is the right family documents and extending on time.
Who is eligible?
| Party | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Resident of Saudi Arabia with a valid iqama (or a citizen for relatives) | Usually needs enough remaining residence and a profession meeting family-visit rules |
| Visitor | First-degree relative | Spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law |
| Resident of Türkiye | Valid regular Turkish permit for non-Turks | Fine for Syrians, Iraqis, Yemenis and others |
| Turkish citizen | Turkish passport | Also has the tourist e-visa option |
Since 1 February 2025 family visit visas are single-entry only for nationals of Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen. If that's you, plan one continuous stay, because leaving and returning means a new request.
Stage one: the host's request in Saudi Arabia
- 1Log in to the visa platform
The host signs in with their digital ID and selects the family visit service.
- 2Visitor details
Name, passport number, date of birth and nationality exactly as in the passport, plus the relationship.
- 3Visit type
Single or multiple entry, as the platform allows for the visitor's nationality.
- 4Fee and request number
The host pays the fee and receives a request number to send to the visitor. We share current amounts on WhatsApp.
Stage two: the visitor's file in Türkiye
Required documents
- A passport valid at least six months from entry
- A recent photo on a white background
- The visit request number from the host
- A valid regular Turkish permit for non-Turks
- Family documents — family record, marriage contract or birth certificates — with sworn translation
- Valid medical insurance
- Flight booking
What delays or sinks it
- One letter different in the name between request and passport
- A relationship outside the first degree
- Untranslated or incomplete family documents
- A passport expiring within six months
- A Turkish permit expiring during the visit
- Non-refundable tickets bought before the visa
Family documents by case
| Visitor | Document proving the relationship |
|---|---|
| Parents | Host's birth certificate or a family record showing both parents |
| Wife | Marriage contract or a recent family record |
| Children | Birth certificates or the family record |
| Parents-in-law | Marriage contract + proof they're the spouse's parents |
Documents issued in Syria, Iraq or elsewhere need a sworn translation and may need attestation depending on the case. We review them before applying through our sworn translation service.
Length of stay and extension
| Type | Common form | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry | A shorter period from entry | Via Absher before expiry, with insurance for the new period |
| Multiple entry | Longer validity with a limit per entry | As the rules allow |
| The 14 nationalities | Single entry only since February 2025 | Via Absher, with conditions |
The exact duration and number of entries appear on the visa itself. The host extends it online through Absher a few days before it ends, with medical insurance for the new period, up to a maximum total stay set by the rules (180 days in common cases). Late extension exposes the visitor to fines and problems on departure.
Umrah during a family visit
A family visit allows Umrah outside the Hajj season after booking an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app, and visiting the Rawdah with a permit. In Ramadan and the last ten nights permits and hotels sell out fast, so book early. Umrah stops for non-Hajj visa holders before and during the season under annual instructions.
Family visit, personal visit or tourist visa?
| Option | When it suits you | Requested by |
|---|---|---|
| Family visit | A first-degree relative lives in the Kingdom | The resident |
| Personal visit | You know a Saudi citizen, no family link | The citizen |
| Tourist e-visa | Eligible nationality (such as Turkish) or a US, UK or Schengen visa holder | You directly |
| Umrah | Mainly religious and short | An approved provider |
Every type is explained in our Saudi visa from Türkiye: every type guide.
Special cases we handle often
A request per person from the resident father, a family record proving the relationship for all, and insurance for each.
With birth certificates, usually travelling with a parent; if with someone else we arrange the consents.
Renew it before travelling; you may need it to return to Türkiye after the visit.
We arrange a comfortable trip, airport assistance and insurance suited to their age.
We correct the request before payment to match the passport exactly — the top cause of delay.
Can choose between the family visit and the faster tourist e-visa; we advise based on the length of stay.
How we help
- 1Before the request
We check the details and family documents with you and your relative so the request goes in error-free.
- 2The visitor's file
We translate documents, issue insurance and complete the process in Türkiye.
- 3Follow-up
We follow up until the visa is issued and send it with instructions.
- 4The trip
Flights from any Turkish city, Nusuk Umrah permits and a reminder before the extension date.
Rules checked against official Saudi sources to the date of this update. Durations, fees and extension conditions change, so we check them on the day of the request.
Start your family visit file on WhatsAppSaudi guides: Saudi visa: every type · Tourist visa · Umrah visa from Türkiye · Gulf & Saudi visas
Frequently asked questions
Who files a Saudi family visit request?
The relative living in the Kingdom (or a citizen for their relatives) files it online on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform and receives a request number. After approval the visitor's side is completed in their country of residence — we handle it in Türkiye.
Who is eligible for a family visit?
The resident's first-degree relatives: spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law. The host's residence usually needs enough remaining validity at the time of the request, and their profession must meet family-visit rules where they apply.
Can a Syrian living in Türkiye get a family visit?
Yes. It's one of the most common routes for Syrian residents of Türkiye to visit their children or spouses in Saudi Arabia, with a regular Turkish residence permit, a valid passport and translated family documents.
What does the visitor need?
A passport valid at least six months, a recent photo, the visit request number, a valid Turkish permit for non-Turks, translated proof of relationship (family record, marriage contract or birth certificates) and medical insurance.
How long is a family visit?
Two common types: single entry with a shorter stay that can be extended, and multiple entry with longer validity. Nationals of 14 countries including Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan have received single-entry visas only since February 2025. The exact terms appear on the visa itself.
Can a family visit be extended?
Yes. The host extends it online through Absher before it expires, with medical insurance covering the new period, up to a maximum total stay set by the rules (180 days in common cases). Late extension exposes the visitor to fines.
Can I perform Umrah on a family visit?
Yes, outside the Hajj season after booking a permit in the Nusuk app. It's not valid for Hajj or work.
Do family documents need attestation?
They're usually requested translated and may need attestation depending on the case and nationality. We review documents before applying and prepare sworn translations to avoid refusal or delay.
Family visit or personal visit — what's the difference?
A family visit is for a resident's first-degree relatives; a personal visit is requested by a Saudi citizen for someone they know, without a family link.
How do I check the request?
The host tracks the request by its number on the visa platform, and we follow the visitor's side until the visa is issued.
