Saudi Arabia’s new Package Visa lets visitors book a round-trip flight, a licensed hotel stay, and the entry visa through a single transaction with an approved travel agency. The Saudi Tourism Authority announced the pilot on July 6, 2026, with a broader international rollout planned. The shift relocates where the visa decision gets made, from a standalone government portal to an item inside a curated travel package.
Saudi reports more than 29 million inbound visitors in 2025, a figure the country has been chasing under Vision 2030. Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb framed Package Visa as the next step after the tourist e-Visa, visa on arrival, and the Stopover Transit Visa, with pricing and eligibility published alongside.
What Package Visa Actually Bundles
Each Package Visa is sold by an approved travel and tourism service provider, not applied for directly with the government. The package bundles an electronic tourist visa, confirmed round-trip flights, and confirmed accommodation into a single booking. Optional additions cover events, activities, and tourism experiences, all sold together as one transaction. Travel insurance is included under the visa fee, per the Ministry of Tourism’s published guidance.
Each package must include accommodation at a Ministry-licensed hotel rated at least four stars, with the stay matching the flight itinerary in full. Processing runs electronically after purchase and data verification, with the visa typically issued within 48 hours. The setup folds three decisions, where to stay, how to get there, and whether entry is cleared, into one transaction.
- Electronic tourist visa issued after purchase
- Confirmed round-trip flights inside the package
- Confirmed accommodation at a Ministry-licensed four-star hotel
- Travel insurance bundled under the visa fee
- Optional additions for events, activities, and tourism experiences
Seven Countries, And Why That List Matters
Citizens of seven pilot countries can book a Package Visa today: Jordan, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan. Four are in South and Southeast Asia, two are MENA states, and one is in Latin America. Mexico is the only non-Asia, non-MENA market in the lineup, extending the reach into Latin America. The seven-country list spans Saudi’s nearest regional tourism partners and selected far-flung source markets.
MENA states Jordan and Egypt sit closest geographically to Saudi’s pilgrimage and cultural sites. The Ministry of Tourism has said additional nationalities will be added as the programme expands. The geographic spread suggests the pilot is testing both booking flow and each origin’s willingness to buy bundled products.
The official Saudi Package Visa announcement cast the pilot’s geography as a deliberate choice for its largest growth markets. The full Package Visa press release lists each of the seven in detail. The pilot stops short of China, the Gulf’s other large source market. Each of the seven sits inside Saudi’s published list of pilot markets for the visa programme.
| Country | Region |
|---|---|
| Jordan | MENA |
| Egypt | MENA |
| India | South Asia |
| Bangladesh | South Asia |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia |
| Mexico | Latin America |
| Pakistan | South Asia |
Built On Saudi’s Earlier Entry Schemes
Package Visa is the latest in a Saudi line of entry-easing moves that began with the tourist e-Visa and grew through visa on arrival and the Stopover Transit Visa. The transit scheme, a Saudia and Flynas product, lets travelers enter the Kingdom for 96 hours on a free electronic permit. Each new scheme peeled off a different friction: paperwork, embassy visit, application form.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism story has always been about ambition, openness, and continuous progress. With the Package Visa, we are taking the next step: empowering our travel and tourism partners, simplifying the journey for visitors, and creating a smarter, more seamless way to experience Saudi Arabia.
That is Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb, speaking through the official Saudi Press Agency. Package Visa was developed jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, and the Insurance Authority. The Saudi Tourism Authority, or STA, launched in June 2020 and now operates 16 representative offices serving 38 countries. STA markets Saudi destinations worldwide and develops the destination’s offerings through programmes, packages, and business support.
The Bar For Approved Travel Providers
Only travel and tourism service providers that meet several standards can sell Package Visa. The official requirements include digital platforms capable of issuing the electronic visa on purchase, and 24/7 technical support and call centers. The Ministry is curating a small list of providers rather than opening the product to all agencies.
Two providers are currently accredited: Reserval and Almosafer. Both operate digital booking platforms tied to the Ministry’s visa issuance flow. The Ministry’s published guidance keeps the roster small during the pilot phase. Other agencies can apply to join the pilot once the initial rollout reads clean. Approval works as a checkpoint rather than a permanent credentialing programme.
Both providers run their own digital platforms per Ministry standards. The Ministry has not named additional providers for the initial pilot window. Saudi’s published guidance treats the framework as a starting point for further expansion.
The Math On A Minimum Package
The visa itself costs SR402.21 ($107), and that figure includes the visa issuance fee and the mandatory health insurance premium. Visa processing completes electronically after booking and data verification, with the booking itself closing at least 48 hours before departure.
The minimum package value is SR4,000 (about $1,065) per adult for the first two days combined. Each additional day adds a minimum of SR1,000 (around $266) to the package value. Packages run between two days and 88 days. Tourists receive a single-entry visa valid for three months from the scheduled departure date.
The hotel requirement is at least four stars, and only Ministry-licensed properties qualify. Round-trip flights are mandatory and confirmed inside the package. Saudi’s 96-hour stopover visa landing page lets Saudia and Flynas passengers stack a four-day Saudi stop with a Package Visa booking.
Travel packages themselves do not include services or activities in the holy cities of Makkah or Madinah. Saudi’s Tourism Ministry confirms that Package Visa holders can travel to Makkah and Madinah once inside the Kingdom. The Saudi Press Agency announcement frames the new programme as part of Vision 2030 tourism expansion. The published guidance lists eligibility, pricing, processing time, hotel rating, and Makkah and Madinah access rules in a single page.
- Visa fee: SR402.21 ($107), includes health insurance
- Minimum package value: SR4,000 ($1,065) per adult for first two days
- Each additional day: SR1,000 ($266) minimum
- Processing time: up to 48 hours after booking
- Eligible countries: 7 in the initial pilot
What The Pilot Is Really Testing
The pilot moves the first customer touchpoint from a government visa portal to a private travel agency’s checkout. The bet, as the Saudi Tourism Authority framed it, is that bundling wins over asking would-be visitors to fill in a separate form. By gating the product to two agencies and seven countries, the Ministry is collecting a small, measurable data set before a broader rollout.
A broader international rollout is planned once the pilot is complete, according to Saudi Tourism Authority. Saudi’s AI travel assistant SARA and Ronaldo-led tourism campaign sit alongside Package Visa as separate initiatives targeting the same visitors. The published guidance currently names two agencies as approved sellers. Saudi’s tourism authority has said additional nationalities will be added as the programme expands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries are eligible for Saudi’s Package Visa right now?
Saudi Arabia’s Package Visa is currently available to citizens of Jordan, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan. The Ministry of Tourism confirmed these seven as the initial pilot markets in its published guidance. Additional nationalities are slated to join as the programme expands beyond the current rollout.
Who sells a Package Visa, and how do I book one?
Reserval and Almosafer are the two agencies currently accredited to sell Package Visa. Both operate digital booking platforms tied to the Ministry’s visa issuance flow.
How much does a Package Visa cost?
The visa itself is priced at SR402.21 ($107), a figure that includes the visa issuance fee and the mandatory health insurance premium. The minimum package value is SR4,000 ($1,065) per adult for the first two days combined. Each additional day adds at least SR1,000 ($266) to the package value. Packages run between two days and 88 days under single-entry visa terms.
How long can I stay on a Package Visa?
Package Visa holders can stay between two days and 88 days under the package’s terms. The visa is single-entry, valid for three months from the scheduled departure date. All travel must flow through the booked itinerary covered by the package.
Can travelers visit Makkah or Madinah on a Package Visa?
The tourism packages themselves do not include services or activities in the holy cities of Makkah or Madinah. Travelers who enter the Kingdom on a Package Visa can visit those cities once inside Saudi, per Ministry of Tourism guidance.
