How to Apply for Family Visit Visa in Saudi Arabia?

Exploring Family Visit Visa in Saudi Arabia (2023 Update)

Eligibility Criteria

• Expatriates with any Iqama profession are eligible to apply for a family visit visa.
• The visa is applicable for the following relations in Saudi Arabia:
  1. Wife/Husband
  2. Children
  3. Parents
  4. Parents-in-Law
  5. Grandparents
  6. Brother and his family (wife and children)
  7. Sister and her family (husband and children)
  8. Sister-in-Law (sister of the spouse)
  9. Brother-in-law (brother of the spouse)
  10. Approval for relations 5-9 is contingent upon possessing a favorable Iqama profession.

Visa Application Requirements

• Necessary documents for the family visit visa application include:
  1. Applicant’s passport
  2. Saudi visa of the Iqama holder
  3. 3 months of Iqama validity
  4. Physical presence in KSA is not required for application
  5. Activation of the Nafath app is essential

Application Process

Step 01: Log in to Nafath

• Visit https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Account/
• Click on the “Login” button
• Enter your Iqama Number
• Approve the Nafath access

Step 02: Fill out the application

• Select “Family Visit Visa Application for Residents”
• Provide necessary details, including the Saudi Visa Number (optional if born in KSA)
• Click on the “Add” button.

Completing Personal and Passport Details

Personal Details

• Provide personal information for the family visit visa applicant:
  1. Enter Name as per passport in ENGLISH ONLY.
  2. Complete the rest of the application in Arabic.
  3. Input Birth Date.
  4. Specify Birth Place.
  5. Select Gender.
  6. Choose Occupational Status: Unemployed.
  7. Enter Mobile Number.
  8. Select Religion.
  9. Specify Relationship. Choose “Others” if applying for someone else like a Brother or Sister.

Profession Selection Consideration

• Note recent rejections of visa applications due to inaccuracies in selected professions.
• Currently, professions such as housewife, child, or retired are not available options.
• It’s anticipated that the Saudi government will soon accept the “Unemployed” profession.

Passport Details

• Input passport details:
  1. Passport Number.
  2. Passport Type: Normal.
  3. Passport Issue Date.
  4. Passport Expiry Date.
  5. Passport Issue Place: Country of the passport holder.

Selecting Visa Type

• Choose the desired type of family visit visa:
  1. Single-entry visit visa: Valid for 30 days, extendable up to 270 days.
  2. Multiple-entry visit visa: Valid for 90 days, not extendable.

Checking Visit Visa Validity in KSA

• Confirm validity from the Embassy where visa stamping is desired.

Adding Additional Applicants (if applicable)

• If applying for multiple family members, click “Add” to enter details for each applicant.
• Otherwise, confirm “Agreement Approval” and click “Save”.

Once done, the MOFA system will generate an application number. 

• Save the application number for future use.
• Print the application for further processing.

Finalizing the Family Visit Visa Process

Step 03: Application Submission

• Private Employees:
  1. Submit the application to your employer for signing and stamping.
  2. Next, forward it to the chamber of commerce of the same city mentioned in the address.
• Government Employees:
  1. Government employees should submit the application directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Domestic Workers:
  1. Employers of domestic workers approve the visa through their Absher account without any additional submission.

Step 04: Checking Application Status

• Regularly monitor the family visit visa status on the MOFA website.
• If additional documents are requested by MOFA, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the required documents.

Step 05: Application Submission to Saudi Embassy

• Family members or agents should submit the application to the Saudi Embassy or Consulate.
• In Pakistan, appointments can be booked with Etimad for this purpose.
• Ensure payment of the following approximate fee:
  1. Visa Fee: SR 300
  2. Insurance: SR 100
  3. Other Charges: SR 500
  4. Total Fee: SR 800 approximately
• Submit the application within the family visit visa validity.

Step 06: Checking Saudi Visa Status

• After passport submission, monitor the Saudi Visa status online using the passport number.
• Arrange a return ticket for the family visit visa holder as per Saudi authorities’ requirement.

Family Visit Visa through Istiqdam

• In certain cases, applying for a family visit visa through Istiqdam may be necessary.

Required Documents:

• Obtain an appointment from Istiqdam.
• Download and fill the family visit visa application form in Arabic, attested by the Chamber of Commerce.
• Provide an introduction letter from the employer, stamped by the chamber of commerce.
• Include a copy of the marriage certificate for in-law applications, along with copies of Iqama and Passport.

Visiting Istiqdam:

• Submit all documents to Istiqdam office and receive Green and White paper.
• Complete the online application following provided guidelines.

Visit MOFA:

• Visit MOFA with a printout of the online application and papers provided by Istiqdam.
• Check the status of the application approval online after submission.