Saudi Arabia has expanded its electronic tourist visa (e-visa) scheme to eight more countries to increase tourism and boost its economy, according to an announcement by the country’s Ministry of Tourism.
Nationals from Azerbaijan, Albania, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Maldives can now apply for e-visit visas. Saudi Arabia now offers e-visit visas to a total of 57 countries, up from the 49 initially targeted when the scheme was launched in 2019.
The visa will allow tourists to travel throughout Saudi Arabia and also perform Umrah. However, the authorities have stressed that the visas will not allow tourists to perform Hajj or Umrah during the Hajj season.
Tourists are also advised to comply with all local laws and carry identification documents at all times.
These changes come as Saudi Arabia, under its Vision 2030 strategy, hopes to increase tourism’s contribution to the economy from the current 3 percent to over 10 percent by the end of this decade.
The strategy also seeks to create a million new jobs and attract 100 million tourists by 2030.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia announced that residents in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries can get a Saudi tourist visa regardless of their jobs.