Saudi Arabia limits Indian tourists to single-entry visas from Feb 2025

Saudi's previous one-year multiple-entry visas have been suspended indefinitely, affecting travellers from 14 countries, including India

Saudi Arabia recently announced that effective February 1, 2025, it will only issue single-entry visas for tourism, business, and family visits. The previous one-year multiple-entry visas have been suspended indefinitely, affecting travellers from 14 countries, including India.

 

Key changes

Only single-entry visas will be issued

Each visa will be valid for 30 days, with a maximum stay of 30 days

Hajj, umrah, diplomatic, and residency visas remain unchanged

 

The regulation applies to visitors from Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.

 

Saudi officials have attributed the decision to the misuse of multiple-entry visas. According to the government, some travellers entered the country on long-term visas but stayed illegally for work or performed Hajj without the necessary authorisation.

 

Hajj overcrowding concerns

Saudi Arabia strictly controls the annual Hajj pilgrimage, allocating quotas to each country. The influx of unauthorised pilgrims has placed additional pressure on the system, leading to severe overcrowding.

 

In 2024, more than 1,200 pilgrims died due to extreme heat and overcrowding. Authorities believe that a significant number of unregistered pilgrims contributed to the crisis. Officials say the visa changes are intended to reduce such risks and ensure only authorised pilgrims participate in Hajj.

 

While the government has described the suspension of multiple-entry visas as a temporary measure, no timeline has been given for a review. Officials plan to assess the impact of the new policy before considering any further changes.

 

Last month, Saudi Arabia also introduced stricter rules for Indian workers. Since January, Indian nationals applying for a Saudi work visa must complete a pre-verification of their professional and academic qualifications before approval.

 

Impact on travellers

According to the latest available data, around 2.5 million Indian travellers visited Saudi Arabia in 2022, with India being a major source of visitors. Any changes to visa rules are likely to have a significant impact on Indian travellers.

 

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised visitors to apply for single-entry visas well in advance and comply with updated regulations to avoid travel disruptions or penalties.

 

Meanwhile, as part of its Vision 2030 initiative to expand tourism, the country aims to attract 7.5 million Indian visitors annually by 2030.