ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS (Specially for the U.S.)

A passport valid for at least six months and a visa are required for entry. Visas are issued for business and work, to visit close relatives, and for transit and religious visits. Visas for tourism are issued only for approved tour groups following organized itineraries. Airport and seaport visas are not available. All visas require a sponsor, can take several months to process, and must be obtained prior to arrival. In the past, American citizens have reported they were refused a Saudi visa because their passports reflected travel to Israel or indicated they were born in Israel , although this has not happened recently. Women visitors and residents are required to be met by their sponsor upon arrival. Women traveling alone, who are not met by sponsors, have experienced delays before being allowed to enter the country or to continue on other flights.

Women considering relocating to Saudi Arabia should be keenly aware that women and children residing in Saudi Arabia as members of a Saudi household (including adult American-citizen women married to Saudi men, adult American-citizen women who are the unmarried daughters of Saudi fathers, and American-citizen boys under the age of 21 who are the sons of Saudi fathers) are considered household property and require the permission of the Saudi male head of their household to leave the country. Married women require their husband’s permission to depart the country, while unmarried women and children require the permission of their father or male guardian. The U.S. Embassy can intercede with the Saudi government to request exit permission for an adult American woman (wife or daughter of a Saudi citizen), but there is no guarantee of success, or even of timely response. Mothers are not able to obtain permission for the departure of minor children without the father’s agreement. Americans entering Saudi Arabia on visitor visas normally do not need an exit permit but may be prevented from departing the country if they are involved in a legal dispute. American citizens involved in labor disputes or employment dismissal will not be granted an exit permit prior to court resolution or abandonment of the case by the American citizen. Saudi sponsors have substantial leverage in the negotiations and may block departure or bar future employment in the country.
As of June 2007, all travelers to and from the Kingdom carrying cash amounts, transferable monetary instruments, or precious metals exceeding 60,000 Saudi Riyals (or $16,000) are required to declare them to Saudi Customs. Customs forms are available at all Saudi ports, or downloadable on http://www.customs.gov.sa/CustomsNew/advices/Declaration%20Form_E.pdf.

Failure to declare or provide accurate information can lead to prosecution, legal penalties, and confiscation.

Visitors to Saudi Arabia should generally obtain a meningitis vaccination prior to arrival. A medical report or physical examination is required to obtain work and residence permits.
Residents in Saudi Arabia who are departing the country must obtain an exit permit prior to leaving and an exit/reentry permit if they intend to return to Saudi Arabia . The Saudi sponsor’s approval is required for exit permits.

NOTE FOR DUAL NATIONALS: Several American citizens of Saudi descent have encountered difficulty leaving the Kingdom after entering on a Laissez Passer rather than a Saudi or U.S. passport. As a Saudi exit visa in a U.S. passport or a new Saudi passport and U.S. visa may take months to obtain, Saudi missions abroad sometimes propose to issue a Laissez Passer to Saudi passport applicants, rather than a Saudi passport. This, however, only leads to difficulties when the traveler wishes to depart the Kingdom to return to the U.S.

In particular, American citizens of Saudi descent should be aware that the Saudi government may refuse to recognize a U.S. passport presented by a Saudi passport applicant as valid for travel out of Saudi Arabia , if it was not used to enter Saudi Arabia . Also, American citizens of Saudi descent should understand that Saudi nationality is not confirmed quickly or easily, and documentary requirements encountered in Saudi Arabia may differ from those described by Saudi missions abroad.

We strongly recommend that American citizens who also have Saudi nationality enter Saudi Arabia with either a Saudi passport or U.S. passport and Saudi visa, but not with a Laissez Passer.

For further information on entry/exit requirements, travelers may contact the following Saudi government offices in the U.S. :
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia , 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW , Washington , DC 20037 , telephone (202) 342-3800. The Embassy's home page is http://www.saudiembassy.net/Saudi Consulate General in Houston : 5718 Westheimer, Suite 1500 , Houston , TX 77057 , tel: (713) 785-5577
Saudi Consulate General in Los Angeles : Sawtelle Courtyard Building , 2045 Sawtelle Blvd. , Los Angeles , CA 90025 , tel: (310) 479-6000
Saudi Consulate General in New York : 866 United Nations Plaza , Suite 480 , New York , NY 10017 , tel: (212) 752-2740
Visit the Embassy of Saudi Arabia web site at http://saudiembassy.net/Travel/VisaReq.asp for the most current visa information.