Saudi Arabia requires 4,000 SAR minimum spend for new Package Visa

Saudi Arabia is testing a bundled tourist product that fuses the e-visa, flights and hotel into one purchase, replacing the separate application step for travelers from seven pilot countries.

What the Package Visa changes

Until this month, tourists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan and Mexico had to apply separately for the Saudi e-tourist visa, then book flights and hotels on their own. The Package Visa, launched around July 6-7 and detailed on Visit Saudi's "Discover Saudi in One Package" page dated July 7, folds all three into a single booking through approved travel providers. The visa issues electronically and instantly on purchase, with secondary reports citing a 48-hour typical turnaround.

The catch is the price floor. The bundle must meet a minimum spend of SAR 4,000 per adult for the first two days, plus SAR 1,000 per adult per additional day, covering round-trip flights, a Ministry-licensed hotel rated 4 stars or higher and the visa fee of roughly SAR 402.21 including mandatory medical insurance.

Who it catches, who it doesn't

The pilot is tourist-only. It is a single-entry visa valid three months from the travel start date, with a minimum stay of two days and a maximum of 88 days. Groups of up to 14 travelers can book on one package, with minors under 18 tied to an adult sponsor in the same booking.

It doesn't touch work, residence or long-stay routes covered under Saudi Arabia's residency framework. Expats and workers keep their existing visa channels. Digital nomads can use it for a short trip, but it won't legalize remote work or extend beyond 88 days. Travel to Makkah and Madinah is excluded, keeping Umrah and Hajj on the separate Nusuk track.

Who needs to act

Travelers from the seven pilot countries with a Saudi trip already in planning should compare the math before booking. A solo visitor on a bare two-day itinerary now faces a SAR 4,000 package floor whether or not their preferred hotel and flight combination would otherwise cost that much. Families and small groups hit the threshold more easily and gain the instant-visa convenience without a separate embassy step.

Everyone else waits. Authorities have signaled gradual expansion to more markets after evaluating the pilot, with no published timetable for adding EU, UK or US nationalities. Existing e-visa and visa-on-arrival routes for eligible countries remain unchanged in the meantime.