Saudi Arabia begins issuing visit visas for Maldivian travelers

Maldives has been listed among the list of new countries Saudi Arabia is expanding the issuance of visit visas to.

Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, in a tweet on Monday, welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia, and extended gratitude to his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed bin Aqil al-Khateeb.

As per Shahid’s tweet, Maldivians traveling to Saudi Arabia for tourism, umrah, business, or visiting family and friends will now receive either physical or electronic visit visas.

Welcome the decision by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to facilitate visit visa issuance process, either electronically or at the airports, for Maldivians travelling to Saudi Arabia for tourism, umrah, business or visiting relatives and friends.

I thank my dear brother, Foreign… https://t.co/kMPNzo3UEi

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) August 7, 2023

In this regard, Maldivian travelers may request for e-visa through ‘Visit Saudi’, or take their visas on arrival through self-service kiosks or passport control offices established at Saudi Arabian airports.

Other countries included in the list apart from Maldives include Uzbekistan, Albania, South Africa, Georgia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Saudi Arabia recorded a total of 93.5 million visitors last year through their ‘visit visa’ program launched in 2019 – a 93 percent increase compared to 2021.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is the 16 largest tourist market to the Maldives and the largest tourist market from the Middle East.