The personal visit visa is requested by a Saudi citizen for someone they know, with no family relationship required. The request starts with the host on the visa platform after verifying with their digital ID, then the visitor's side is completed: a passport valid for six months, medical insurance, details matching the passport, and a travel plan and address. A stay of up to 90 days per visit is common, and the type of entry depends on nationality. It allows Umrah outside the Hajj season, but not work.
Many Arab residents of Türkiye have friends, former colleagues and acquaintances in Saudi Arabia, but they can't get the tourist visa because of their nationality, and they have no resident relative to request a family visit for them. This is where the personal visit comes in: a legal door that a Saudi citizen opens for someone they know. In this guide we explain when it suits you, how it works step by step, and the mistakes that delay it.
Personal, family or tourist visa?
| Personal visit | Family visit | Tourist e-visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who requests it | A Saudi citizen | A resident or citizen, for relatives | The traveller themselves |
| Family relationship | Not required | First-degree relatives | Not relevant |
| Nationalities | Most nationalities | Most nationalities | Eligible nationalities, and holders of US, UK or Schengen visas under conditions |
| Umrah | Yes, outside Hajj | Yes, outside Hajj | Yes, outside Hajj |
| Work | No | No | No |
| Suits | Friends and acquaintances | Parents, children and spouses | Tourism and Umrah for those eligible |
You'll find a comparison of every type in our guide to Saudi visa types, and the family visit in detail in our family visit guide.
Who can invite you?
With an active digital ID, who submits the request personally through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform.
A friend, former colleague, old neighbour or family acquaintance. The purpose is a personal visit, not work.
If the purpose is work, that's the work-visa route, and the personal visit isn't suitable.
Who can be invited?
Most nationalities, including Syrians, Iraqis, Yemenis, Egyptians and Jordanians living in Türkiye. For non-Turks, a valid regular Turkish residence permit matters for completing the visitor's procedures from Türkiye. If you hold temporary protection only, let's review your case before your host starts the request.
The steps from request to travel
- 1The host submits the request
On the visa platform after logging in with their digital ID, entering your details exactly as in your passport, plus the purpose and length of the visit.
- 2Payment and request number
The host pays the set fees and receives a request number to send to you.
- 3Completing the visitor's file
Your passport, photo, medical insurance, travel plan and address, and any procedure required for your nationality from Türkiye. This is where we follow your file.
- 4The visa is issued
You receive the visa after approval; check its details: name, passport number, type of entry and duration.
- 5Flights and Umrah
We book the flights and help with Nusuk permits if Umrah is part of your trip.
The details your host needs from you
| Detail | Watch out for |
|---|---|
| Full name | Exactly as in the passport, letter for letter, in Latin script for non-Arabs |
| Date of birth and nationality | Matching the passport |
| Passport number, issue and expiry dates | Valid for at least six months from the date of entry |
| Profession and marital status | As your documents show |
| Phone number and email | A working number where you can be reached |
| Point of arrival | The airport or border crossing you'll enter through |
The thing that most often delays visits is a name spelled differently in the request and the passport, or an old passport number after renewal. Send your host a photo of your passport's main page and ask them to copy the details from it exactly.
The documents needed from you
Your file
- A passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry
- A recent photo on a white background
- Valid medical insurance for the length of the visit
- A travel plan and flight booking
- The address you'll stay at — your host's or a hotel
- A valid Turkish residence permit for non-Turks
Mistakes that delay the request
- A name different from the passport
- A passport about to expire
- An unclear purpose of visit
- Insurance that doesn't cover the whole stay
- The host applying before your travel date is fixed
Duration and type of entry
A personal visit commonly allows a stay of up to 90 days per visit, while the type of entry and the visa's validity are whatever the platform offers for your nationality when you apply. Remember that since 1 February 2025 Saudi Arabia has been issuing some visit visas as single-entry only for citizens of a number of countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen and Sudan, so plan your trip around a single entry if your nationality is among them. Overstaying means a fine and may mean an entry ban later.
By nationality and status in Türkiye
| Your status | Is the personal visit your best option? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish citizen | Usually not | The tourist e-visa is easier and allows visits and Umrah |
| Syrian with a regular residence permit | Yes, one of the best options | The tourist visa only covers them with a US, UK or Schengen visa, so the personal or family visit or Umrah is the way |
| Iraqi or Yemeni resident | Yes, if you have a Saudi host | Watch for the single-entry rule for some of these nationalities |
| Egyptian or Jordanian resident | A good option | You also have the new tourist package visa with a flight-and-stay package, single entry |
| Holder of temporary protection only | Needs assessing | A passport and a regular residence permit are the basis of the file |
Medical insurance
Visit visas require valid medical insurance covering the length of the stay. Don't choose the cheapest policy without reading it: make sure it's accepted by the Saudi authorities, covers the whole period and includes emergencies. If the visit is extended, the insurance must cover the new period.
On arrival
At the airport the visa is shown with your passport, and you may be asked about the purpose of your visit and where you'll stay, so carry your host's address and phone number. Keep your host informed of your arrival time, and plan your Umrah permits in advance if they're part of your programme. Count your departure date from the day you enter, not the day the visa was issued, and leave before your allowed stay ends.
If the request is refused or delayed
The most common reason: a name or passport number different from the actual passport. It's corrected and usually resubmitted as a new request.
A vague purpose of visit, or one that doesn't fit your profession, can delay the decision. Clarity and honesty are always best.
Seasons and holidays slow processing. Start early, and don't book non-refundable tickets before the visa is issued.
If the personal visit doesn't work out, Umrah, the family visit or the tourist packages may suit you depending on your nationality — we'll suggest the right alternative.
If your nationality falls under the single-entry rule
Since February 2025, citizens of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen, Sudan and others among the fourteen nationalities have been receiving single-entry visas for a number of visa types. In practice this means: fit your whole trip into one entry. If you plan to visit Bahrain or the UAE while you're there and then return to Saudi Arabia, you may not be able to re-enter on the same visa. Plan Umrah and your visits within the Kingdom as one continuous period, and book your return from the airport that suits the last city you visit.
Umrah on a personal visit
One of the best things about the personal visit is that it allows Umrah outside the Hajj season. Book the Umrah permit and the Rawdah visit permit in the Nusuk app ahead of time, and plan a stay close to the Haram if elderly relatives are with you. Everything you need to choose a hotel and split the days is in our guide to Umrah trips from Türkiye.
How long does it take? Are the fees refundable?
It depends on how quickly the host submits and pays, and on your file being complete. Start four to six weeks before your travel date to be comfortable.
The visa fees are paid by the host on the platform, and as a general rule they aren't refundable once submitted, so we check your eligibility and details before they pay.
No visa is guaranteed, but matching details and a clear purpose greatly reduce delays and refusals.
A realistic timeline
| Step | Who does it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Agreeing the visit date | You and your host | About six weeks before travel |
| Sending the passport photo and details | You | The same day |
| Submitting the request and paying | The host | Within days |
| Completing the visitor's file | You and us | Right after the request number |
| The visa is issued and checked | The Saudi authorities, then you | Depending on processing |
| Booking flights and Nusuk permits | Us | After issue |
Visiting with your wife and children
If your host wants to invite you with your family, each person is added to the request with their full details, and each child needs their own passport. Documents proving the relationship between the visiting family members, such as the marriage contract and birth certificates, may be requested, translated. Plan your stay: will you stay with your host or in a hotel? The address is part of the request. With children, start earlier — any missing document for one child holds up the whole family.
A typical visit: two weeks between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah
- 1The first days in Jeddah
Airport pick-up, days with your host and their family, and a stroll along the Corniche and historic Jeddah (Al-Balad).
- 2Umrah in Makkah
With a Nusuk permit booked in advance and a hotel close to the Haram for two or three nights.
- 3Madinah
By the Haramain train, visiting the Prophet's Mosque and the Rawdah with its permit, and Quba Mosque.
- 4Back to Jeddah, then Istanbul
Well before your allowed stay ends.
What your Saudi host needs to know
They submit the request personally on the visa platform after verifying their identity; no one else can submit it on their behalf.
They take your details from a photo of your passport's main page, not from memory.
They pay the set fees on the platform, then send you the request number so we can complete your file.
They shouldn't submit before you've agreed the travel date, or at the last minute before a busy season.
Personal visit or tourist packages?
| Personal visit | Tourist packages | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs a host | Yes, a Saudi citizen | No |
| Needs a package purchase | No | Yes, a flight and stay from an approved provider |
| Nationalities | Most nationalities | Egypt, Jordan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Mexico |
| Where you stay | With the host or in a hotel | In the hotel booked as part of the package |
| Suits | Those with a friend in the Kingdom | Those wanting tourism and Umrah without a host |
Terms you'll come across
| Term | What it means in short |
|---|---|
| The visa platform | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs online platform where the host submits the request |
| Digital ID | The citizen's unified account for logging into government services |
| Single or multiple entry | Whether the visa allows entering the Kingdom once or more during its validity |
| Length of stay | The number of days allowed per visit, counted from the day of entry |
| Nusuk | The official app for booking the Umrah permit and the Rawdah visit |
The visitor's obligations
A personal visit is for visiting only: no work, no selling, no paid activity.
Count the period from the day you enter and leave before it ends; overstaying means a fine and may mean an entry ban later.
Always carry your passport or a clear copy of it as you travel around the Kingdom.
Your medical insurance must cover your whole stay.
Personal visits and Umrah in Ramadan
Many personal visits are planned to combine Ramadan with friends and Umrah in the last ten nights. It's possible, but it needs earlier planning than usual: flights fill up, Makkah hotels are booked months ahead, and Umrah and Rawdah permits run out. Read our guide to Ramadan Umrah from Türkiye before your host submits the request.
After the visit: returning to Türkiye
If you live in Türkiye on a regular residence permit, make sure before you travel that your permit is valid on the day you return, because you'll enter Türkiye on it. If it's due for renewal soon, arrange the renewal before travelling or as the rules allow. We also help with your residence file through our Turkish residence permit service.
Illustrative cases: friends from university days
Composite examples of cases we see, not the stories of specific clients.
A Saudi family friend in Riyadh invites them for a visit and Umrah. Each is added with her passport details, plus proof that they're mother and daughter and insurance covering the stay, and we book the flights after the visa is issued.
His Saudi friend invites him on a personal visit, but the real purpose is business meetings. The right route here is a business visit with an invitation from the company, not a personal visit.
They have a Saudi friend in Jeddah. The personal visit is a good option, as is the tourist package visa. We compare the two routes for them on duration and type of entry before the friend starts the request.
And the most common case: a Syrian engineer living in Istanbul on a work permit, whose Saudi university classmate lives in Jeddah and invites him to visit and perform Umrah. The Syrian isn't covered by the tourist e-visa and has no relative living in the Kingdom. The solution: a personal visit requested by his classmate on the visa platform with details copied from the passport, while we complete the visitor's file in Türkiye and book the flight to Jeddah and the Umrah permit. The result is a fully legal trip from start to finish.
Common mistakes
Do
- Send your host a passport photo to copy the details from
- Start enough weeks before travel
- Have insurance covering the whole stay
- Leave before your allowed stay ends
- Book Nusuk permits early if you want Umrah
Avoid
- Using the personal visit to work
- Overstaying
- A request from a host you don't know in exchange for money
- Giving inaccurate details about your profession or purpose
- Booking non-refundable tickets before the visa is issued
How we help
Alwan is a licensed travel agency in Istanbul (Group A, licence no. 9151) with a dedicated line for Saudi and Gulf visas. We check your eligibility before your host pays, prepare the details in the right format, follow your file in Türkiye, then book the flights and hotel and help you with Umrah permits.
Ask about the personal visit on WhatsAppUseful guides: Saudi visa types · Family visit visa · Saudi tourist visa · Umrah trips from Türkiye · Saudi and Gulf visa service
The duration and type of entry are set by the visa platform for each nationality at the time of application, and they change; we check them when preparing your file. Cover photo: the Jeddah Corniche (Tahir mq, CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the personal visit visa?
A visa requested by a Saudi citizen for someone they know — a friend, colleague or acquaintance — with no family relationship required. The citizen submits the request online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform, and then the visitor's procedures are completed.
Can a resident of Saudi Arabia invite a friend on a personal visit?
The personal visit is requested by Saudi citizens. A resident requests the family visit visa for first-degree relatives. If you have neither a Saudi host nor a resident relative, look at the tourist visa or Umrah depending on your nationality.
How long can I stay on a personal visit visa?
A stay of up to 90 days per visit is common, while the type of entry (single or multiple) and the visa's validity are whatever the platform offers for your nationality at the time of the request. Some nationalities are issued single-entry visit visas.
Can I perform Umrah on a personal visit visa?
Yes, outside the Hajj season, after booking the Umrah permit in the Nusuk app, along with the Rawdah visit permit.
Can I work on a personal visit visa?
No. Its purpose is a personal visit only, and working on it is a violation that can end in a fine, deportation and an entry ban.
Is the personal visit visa guaranteed?
No visa is guaranteed — the Saudi authorities decide. But a correct application with details matching your passport and a clear purpose greatly reduces delays and refusals.
Does someone living in Türkiye need a valid residence permit?
For non-Turkish citizens, a valid regular Turkish residence permit matters for completing the visitor's procedures from Türkiye. Someone holding temporary protection only needs their case assessed before starting.
Is the personal visit a good option for Syrians living in Türkiye?
Yes, it's one of the best options for them, because the tourist e-visa doesn't cover Syrians unless they hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa. The conditions are a Saudi host who knows you and a valid regular Turkish residence permit.
Do I need a hotel booking for the personal visit?
Not necessarily — you can stay with your host and give their address in the request. But if Umrah is part of your trip, book your Makkah and Madinah hotels early, especially in Ramadan and the holidays.
Can a Turkish citizen of Arab origin use the personal visit?
Yes, but their Turkish passport makes them eligible for the tourist e-visa, which is usually easier and quicker and needs no host. We compare the two routes for you before starting.
Can I attend an event or entertainment season during a personal visit?
Yes, during your visit you can attend events and seasons like any visitor, as long as your main purpose is visiting your host and you don't work. Check the event's tickets and conditions in advance and plan around them within your allowed stay.
Is my host responsible for me?
The host submits the request with correct details for a genuine visit. Following the rules during the visit — not working and leaving on time — is first and foremost your responsibility, and keeping to them protects your reputation and your host's for any later request.
Can I visit another Gulf country and return to Saudi Arabia on the same visa?
It depends on the type of entry on your visa. If it's single entry, as it has been for a number of nationalities since February 2025, leaving ends it. Plan your time in the Kingdom as one continuous period.
How long does the personal visit take to be issued?
It depends on how quickly the host submits and pays, then on processing and your file being complete. Start four to six weeks before travel, earlier in Ramadan and the holidays.
Can more than one person invite me?
The host is the citizen who submits the request in their name, and one visit request comes from one host. Visiting other friends while you're in the Kingdom is no problem as long as you keep to the purpose and duration of the visit.
What if I don't travel after the visa is issued?
If you don't use the visa within its validity, it can't be used later, and the fees are usually non-refundable. That's why the host should only submit the request once your travel date is fixed.
Can I travel between cities during the personal visit?
Yes, you can move around the Kingdom during the visit — Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and elsewhere — while keeping to the purpose of the visit, carrying your passport, and booking Nusuk permits for Umrah and the Rawdah.
What if my passport expires soon?
Renew it before your host submits the request: the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and the visa is tied to the passport number. Applying with an old passport and then renewing it means a new request.
Can my host invite me with my wife and children?
Yes. Each person is added to the request with their full details, each child needs their own passport, and documents proving the family relationship may be requested, translated. Start early, because one person's missing document holds everyone up.
Can the personal visit be extended?
Extension depends on what the system allows for the visa type and your nationality at the time, and usually needs insurance covering the new period. Don't count on an extension when planning, and leave before your stay ends unless it has been officially extended.
Do I need medical insurance for the personal visit?
Yes. Visit visas require valid medical insurance covering the length of the stay, and if the visit is extended, it must cover the new period.
