An Expert Guide To Obtaining A Saudi Arabia Student Visa

Most foreign and international students intending to study in Saudi Arabia require a student visa. A Saudi student visa grants its holder the legal permission to study in Saudi for the duration of their course. This expert guide from PacknPass blog will walk you through the entire Saudi student visa application process. This includes, eligibility criteria and required documents.

Please note that you can only apply for a Saudi Arabia student visa after confirming enrollment for studies in a university.

Types of Saudi Arabia Student Visa

Short term student visa: The short term student visas, allows a study duration for up to three months. Students who intend to study a short diploma or language course usually opt for this visa type.
Long term student visa: Long term student visas are issued to students who intend to study degree programs that last longer than three months.

Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for a Saudi Arabia student Visa, you must meet certain requirements as stated by the Embassy.

Hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Be enrolled into a Saudi Arabian university or college.
Must meet the language requirements (Arabic or English).
Must have a clean criminal record.

How To Apply

You can submit a visa application via online or offline methods. The Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal (MOFA) provides electronic visa services. Applicants can apply for a Saudi Visa that is directly sent to the applicant’s nearest Embassy. Here are the steps to take when applying via the online method:

Online visa application

head over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
select ‘E-Services’
from the list of services, click on ‘Electronic Visas’
following that, a list of all-purpose travel visas will appear
select ‘Study Visa Request’ and complete the e-form
follow up on the request’s status, which usually takes around 3 days

Offline visa application

Saudi visa applicants can visit the Saudi Arabia’s Embassy/consulate in their country to commence their application. To complete this process, you need the following required documents:

Passport valid for at least 6 months and contains at least two consecutive empty visa pages.
Visa referral note indicating the number and expiration date of the visa. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs or one of its branches in Dammam or Jeddah must issue this.
Copy of the applicant’s original birth certificate
High school diploma, or other academic credentials
Police report issued within six (6) months of the application date, containing detailed information about the applicant’s criminal record, if any.
Three passport-sized colored photographs that have a white background.
Medical report in three copies and all lab results. A licensed physician must issue a medical report certifying that the applicant does not have any contagious diseases. The physician must have signed all the copies of the medical report, which must include their license number and address.
Medical reports must be at most 3 months old from their date of issue. Applicants under 16 years are exempt from submitting a medical report.

The processing time for student visas depends on your country of application. Usually, it could take up to three months for international students. The standard visa fees is SAR 50 asides applicable bank charges.

Study in Saudi Arabia visa program

Saudi Arabia has recently introduced an innovative initiative, the “Study in Saudi Arabia program.” This is an avenue for international students seeking educational opportunities in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs jointly announced the launch of this student visa during the ‘Human Capacity Initiative’ conference, held in Riyadh on February 28 and 29.

This new visa system streamlines the application process for international students aspiring to enroll in Saudi universities. It facilitates admission processes and opens avenues for short-term academic, training, and research programs. Furthermore, the ‘Study in Saudi Arabia’ initiative extends its scope to provide long-term educational opportunities. This presents students with a chance to learn in a modern and distinguished educational environment.

Beyond a visa program, this program aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, fostering academic and cultural cooperation to develop the education sector. The program aims to attract talent, contributing to a progressive, globally connected educational landscape. People expect it to play a pivotal role in realizing Vision 2030’s broader goals, positioning Saudi Arabia as an international education and collaboration hub. See fully funded scholarship opportunity in Saudi Arabia here.