If you’ve travelled internationally, then you’re likely at least somewhat versed in the experience of applying and usually paying for a tourist visa. Depending on your passport, you may have access to visa on arrival to various countries, but not all. Most countries to which you apply for a tourist visa are accompanied by a fee.

An entry visa differs from a tourist visa, in that an entry visa is typically for longer visits and for purposes other than tourism. It’s usually for residents or potential residents. While a tourist visa can be valid for up to 180 days, an entry visa is used once and expires upon entering the country of intention.

For example, as our family prepared to become residents of Saudi Arabia (for the second time); we applied for an entry visa, which granted us entry into the country just the one time. We then began the process of acquiring our National Identification, which would further allow us travel inside and outside the country for as long as we maintain our residency status.

The kicker though, is that Saudi Arabia is unique in the region for requiring its expatriates to pay a visa fee each and every time they wish to re-enter the country. So, in additional to paying the fees to a country we wish to tour, on holiday or whatever, we then need to pay for the luxury of returning home. Every time. As far as I can tell, this only applies to expats, not locals, and is not a common process among other Middle Eastern countries. We did not have to do this when we lived and travelled in and out of Qatar.

You can apply for your various visas through your Absher account and may need to wait a few days. I’ve read up to 10 days, but that’s never been our experience. In fact, we just applied for our multi-entry visa and it was approved instantly.
To be approved, you are required to hold a valid iqama (National ID) and be free of any unpaid violations, such as traffic.

It’s no small fee, especially as a family of four, and becomes quite strategic trying to decide when to travel and if to purchase a single or multi re-entry visa.

• A single exit/re-entry visa charges a fee of 200 SAR/per person (approximately $53 USD) and remains valid for 2 months. So, you have two months to use it once you’ve acquired it.

• A multi exit/re-entry visa will run 500 SAR/per person (approximately $133 USD) and remains valid for 3 months.

Strategically, if you plan to travel outside of Saudi Arabia three or more times in a 3-month period, the multi entry visa becomes the most economical option.

Violating a visa; for example, not returning back on time, can result in being banned from Saudi Arabia for up to 3 years.

Definitely something worth mapping out and planning ahead before choosing your visa option.