Qaiser Manzoor Chaudhry
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has relaxed the visit visa conditions for Pakistani tourists.
Pakistani tourists can submit a monthly credit of US$ 750 or an equivalent bank statement to obtain a visit visa under the new conditions set by Saudi Arabia.
43 percent more Pakistani tourists visited Saudi Arabia in 2023 compared to last year and 27 lakh Pakistani tourists are expected to visit Saudi Arabia in 2024. To facilitate this growing number of tourists, 6 promotional offices have been established in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Multan, where user-friendly and excellent services are offered, including visa application guidance, biometric enrollment, status tracking, and passport delivery.
To avoid long queues at these special offices, travelers can also make an appointment on the advertised website before their visit. Saudi Arabia has also introduced a transit visa for Pakistanis traveling to Saudi Arabia via Saudi Airlines and FlyNass. Available for Through this visa, tourists will be able to visit Saudi Arabia for up to 96 hours.
In addition, on-arrival visas are available to travelers who hold UK, US, and Schengen visas. The country also introduced a one-year multiple-entry visa for Pakistani travelers last year, under which travelers can enjoy the culture and natural wonders of different cities of the country during multiple visits to Saudi Arabia in a year. Pakistani travelers with this visa can also perform Umrah.
