How Much Does a Saudi Arabia Visa Cost from India? 2026 Fees Breakdown

Overview

Saudi Arabia has opened up dramatically to tourism, and it's increasingly popular with Indian travellers — the futuristic developments, the historic sites of AlUla and Diriyah, the Red Sea coast, and of course Umrah and religious visits. For tourism, Indian passport holders can apply for a tourist e-visa online. Religious (Umrah/Hajj) travel uses a separate route.

This guide breaks down what an Indian applicant pays for a Saudi tourist visa in 2026 so you can budget accurately. On VisitPlane, we verify every route against official sources.

Key takeaway: A Saudi tourist e-visa costs about SAR 535 (around ₹12,000) when applied for online, including mandatory medical insurance. It's typically a one-year, multiple-entry visa allowing stays of up to 90 days — strong value for the price.

The Headline Visa Fee (2026)

For the Saudi tourist e-visa:

• Online e-visa: about SAR 535, which includes the visa fee and mandatory insurance.
• Visa on arrival (for eligible travellers): about SAR 480.
• In rupees, that's roughly ₹11,500–₹12,500.

The headline price already bundles the compulsory insurance, so there are fewer hidden add-ons than some destinations.

The Full Cost Breakdown

A realistic Indian applicant's budget includes:

• Tourist e-visa (incl. insurance): ~SAR 535 (~₹12,000).
• Service/processing margin if using an agent or portal: varies.
• Photographs and document prep: minimal.

Because the e-visa is fully online and bundles insurance, the all-in cost is typically ₹12,000–₹15,000 per adult, depending on the channel.

What the Tourist Visa Includes

The Saudi tourist e-visa is notable for its value:

• Usually valid one year, multiple entry.
• Allows stays of up to 90 days per visit (subject to the rules in force).
• Permits tourism, family visits, events, and Umrah (outside Hajj season) for eligible travellers.

This makes the per-trip cost low for anyone visiting more than once in the year.

How to Pay

You apply online through the official Saudi tourist visa portal (Visit Saudi), upload your details, and pay by card — the insurance is included automatically. The e-visa arrives by email. The fee is non-refundable, so check your details before paying.

What the Whole Trip Costs

Beyond the visa, budget for the trip:

• Return flights (India–Saudi Arabia): roughly ₹25,000–₹55,000 depending on season and city.
• Accommodation: ₹6,000–₹18,000 per night (higher near holy sites in peak periods).
• Daily spend (food, transport, sightseeing): ₹4,000–₹9,000 per person.
• Domestic travel: budget for flights or car hire between cities (e.g., Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla).

A typical 6–7 day Saudi trip can land around ₹80,000–₹1.6 lakh per person, with flights and accommodation the main variables.

Ways to Keep the Cost Down

• Use the official portal rather than agents charging large margins.
• Make the most of the one-year visa with multiple trips.
• Travel outside peak religious seasons for cheaper flights and hotels.
• Book refundable travel until the visa is issued.

How Saudi Arabia Compares

For Indian travellers, the Saudi tourist e-visa offers excellent value — a one-year multiple-entry visa with insurance bundled for around ₹12,000 is cheaper per trip than most Western destinations, and the fully online process means no embassy visit.

Documents and Eligibility

You need a passport valid at least 6 months, a photo, and a card for the fee. Note that the tourist visa is separate from Umrah/Hajj arrangements and from work visas. Use the VisitPlane Visa Wizard and Document Checklist to prepare, and see our India to Saudi Arabia visa guide for the full process.

What's Refundable — and What Isn't

The e-visa fee (including insurance) is non-refundable once processed. Some agents may refund their service margin only if the application hasn't been submitted — check terms before paying. Finalise your travel plans first, then apply, and keep flights and hotels on refundable terms until the visa is issued.

Sample Budgets

To make the numbers concrete, here are two realistic all-in budgets for an Indian traveller (visa plus the trip):

• Short city break (5 nights, Riyadh or Jeddah): visa ~₹12,000 + flights ~₹35,000 + mid-range hotel ~₹50,000 + daily spend ~₹30,000 = roughly ₹1.2–1.4 lakh per person.
• Week-long tour (AlUla + Jeddah + Riyadh): visa ~₹12,000 + flights ~₹45,000 + hotels ~₹90,000 + domestic flights and spend ~₹60,000 = roughly ₹2–2.5 lakh per person.

Because the e-visa is valid for a year with multiple entries, a second trip within the year adds no visa cost at all.

Currency and Payment Tips

Saudi Arabia uses the Saudi Riyal (SAR). Cards are widely accepted in cities, but carry some cash for taxis and smaller shops. Pay the e-visa fee only on the official Visit Saudi portal, where the insurance is bundled automatically. A forex card or low-foreign-fee card avoids poor exchange rates. Watch the SAR/INR rate, which affects both your visa payment and on-the-ground costs, and remember that alcohol is prohibited — budget accordingly and respect local customs.

How to Strengthen Your Saudi Application

Saudi tourist e-visa approval is generally straightforward, but a few principles protect your money and avoid problems. At VisitPlane, we've mapped these patterns across dozens of visa routes, and the advice below applies directly to Indian travellers heading to Saudi Arabia.

First, use the official Visit Saudi portal or a reputable provider — the visa is cheap and online, so there's no reason to overpay an agent or risk an unofficial site. Second, ensure your passport details and photo are accurate, since errors on the non-refundable application are the most common cause of trouble.

Third, carry your supporting documents for arrival — a return ticket, hotel booking, and proof you can support your stay. Although the e-visa is light on paperwork, immigration may ask. Finally, respect the visa's terms — it's a tourist visa, not a work or pilgrimage-season Hajj permit, so use the correct route for your purpose and don't overstay.

Prepare with the VisitPlane Visa Wizard, the VisitPlane document checklist, and our destination guides. VisitPlane verifies every route against official government sources, so you can prepare with confidence.

When to Visit and How It Shapes Your Budget

Timing has a big effect on what a Saudi trip costs, even though the visa price is fixed. The best weather is November to March, when temperatures are pleasant for sightseeing in Riyadh, Jeddah, and AlUla — but this is also peak season, so flights and hotels are dearer. The summer months are extremely hot, which keeps prices lower if you can handle the heat and focus on indoor or coastal activities.

Religious periods matter too: around Ramadan and the Hajj season, demand and prices near the holy cities rise sharply, and some services change their hours. If your trip is purely tourism, travelling outside these peaks can cut your accommodation and flight costs significantly while the visa fee stays the same. Because the e-visa is valid for a year with multiple entries, some travellers deliberately split a winter sightseeing trip and a separate visit later — getting two trips from one ₹12,000 visa. Planning around the calendar is one of the simplest ways to stretch your budget on this route.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Paying an agent a big margin for a cheap online visa.
• Confusing the tourist visa with Umrah/Hajj or work routes.
• Typos in passport details on the non-refundable form.
• Overstaying the permitted period.
• Booking non-refundable flights before the visa is issued.

Tourist Visa vs Umrah vs Work Visa

A common source of confusion — and wasted money — is mixing up Saudi visa types. The tourist e-visa covered here is for sightseeing, family visits, events, and (outside Hajj season) Umrah for eligible travellers. Hajj requires a dedicated Hajj visa arranged through approved channels in its season. Work and residence (Iqama) are entirely separate routes arranged by an employer. Applying for the wrong type, or trying to work on a tourist visa, leads to refusal or serious penalties — so match the visa to your actual purpose before you pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQ section below for quick answers on the visa cost, what's included, validity, and how to apply. The short version: the tourist e-visa is around ₹12,000 with insurance bundled in, valid a full year with multiple entries — excellent value with no embassy visit — so apply on the official Visit Saudi portal, match the visa to your actual purpose, and plan your trip around the cooler months for the best overall cost.

Sources

• Visit Saudi — official tourist e-visa: https://visa.visitsaudi.com/
• Saudi Ministry of Tourism: https://www.mt.gov.sa/en
• Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.mofa.gov.sa/en

VisitPlane — visa requirements, decoded in seconds. Free, accurate, always updated. Fees and rules change; always confirm current amounts on the official Visit Saudi portal before paying.