Saudi Arabia

Entry allowed for vaccinated with additional restrictions. Non-vaccinated are not allowed. Entry ban for visitors arriving from certain areas. Test required.
Quarantine required. Find more details on official websites.

Pre-entry clearance formTravelers might be required to fill out the pre-travel clearance form. Fill the form on official website.

COVID InfoBasic factsPractical infoVisa regimeSafety

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What is the COVID situation in Saudi Arabia?

+650 New COVID cases in Saudi Arabia
+1 New COVID deaths in Saudi Arabia
70.31% Fully vaccinated

Data source: Our World In Data / Data updated on May 23, 2022

Further reading

Data last reviewed on: 19 October 2021

Basic facts about Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a very large country located in Western Asia. The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh and the most spoken language is Arabic. The national currency in Saudi Arabia is Saudi riyal (SAR).

What taxi apps are available in Saudi Arabia?

If you are not a local, you may have difficulty making the best use of public transportation. Using a taxi app such as Uber or Bolt is unquestionably a better method to go about cities without getting into too much touch with strangers. There may be also other local taxi apps available in Saudi Arabia.

You can use Uber in 10 cities: Eastern Province, KSA, Jeddah, Madinah, Mecca, North Saudi, Qassim, Riyadh, Southern Saudi, Tabuk. You can use Bolt in 5 cities: Dammam, Jazan, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh.

See the full list of cities where Uber operate. See the full list of cities where Bolt operate.

Practical information

Saudi riyal (SAR)Official currency
1 EUR~4 SAR
1 USD~3.75 SAR

Check with your bank to determine if there are any costs for international transactions. When you use a foreign ATM, your home bank will typically charge you a fee. While some banks don't charge a fee, some charge a fixed fees for every withdrawal or provide a limited amount of free withdrawals.

When you spend money abroad with your card, you're unlikely to get the interbank exchange rate. This implies that each time you spend in a foreign currency, you may be paying a significant fee. Varying service providers may charge different markups, but they should not exceed 3% of the transaction value on average.

To reduce the transaction costs, you may choose to consider one of the travel cards offered by the following mobile banks: Wise.com, Revolut, N26 or Monose

Do people speak English in Saudi Arabia?

The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Traveling across Saudi Arabia if English is your first (and only) language may be difficult due to language barriers. You can go into someone who doesn't comprehend the word that you speak. Learn a few distress phrases, such as aid, emergency, and police, as a precaution, and of course, the most important phrase to know is “Do you speak English?”

In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Saudi Arabia was ranked 97th out of 100 countries in 2020.

What socket types are used in Saudi Arabia?

There is one common plug type used in Saudi Arabia:

Type G 220 V, 230 V, 60 Hz

The sockets' shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).

Further reading

What countries need visa to enter Saudi Arabia?

Currently, citizens of 4 countries can enter Saudi Arabia without obtaining a visa. This figure includes nationals who can acquire a visa on arrival. Please note that you may be needed to get an electronic visa before arriving.

What are visa requirements to enter Saudi Arabia?

Use the list below to check visa requirements for your country to enter Saudi Arabia.

Further reading

Data last reviewed on: 19 October 2021

Is it safe in Saudi Arabia?

The U.S. State Department uses a four-level travel advisory system. The levels show how safe it is to travel throughout the world. The countries with the lowest level (1) are considered safe for visitors, while those with the greatest level (4) should be avoided, at least temporarily.

On May 18, 2022, the risk level for Saudi Arabia was changed to Level 3: Reconsider Travel.

Emergency phones in Saudi Arabia

911 Police
911 Ambulance
911 Fire police

State Department Travel Advisory

Check travel information also for neighbor countries of Saudi Arabia:

IraqJordanKuwaitOmanQatarUnited Arab EmiratesYemen
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