Saudi Arabia Visa for Canadian Citizens

Saudi Arabia launched a new mechanism of electronic visas to facilitate foreign visitors intending to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for leisure, Umrah, events and visiting family and relatives purposes.

Saudi Arabia is offering e-visa to 49 countries. Canada is one of the countries that qualify for an e-visa. On this page, you will get the necessary information on Saudi e-visa for Canadian citizens.

What is the Saudi Arabia eVisa?

It is an electronically applied-for-and-received travel authorisation that lets foreigners visit KSA and stay for a period of 90 days.

Saudi Arabia eVisas Offered to Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens can apply for a tourist visa for various purposes like leisure, visiting family and friends, attending events, and performing Umrah.

Note: It is worth noting that the applicant doesn’t need sponsorship for a tourist visa. The visa validity is extremely important because overstaying the visa can result in future travel bans or heavy fines. The traveler won’t be allowed to exit KSA without paying the fine.

What are the advantages of the Saudi Arabia eVisa?

The e-visa eliminates the requirement of visiting the embassy or consulate, submitting original documents, and paying the visa fee manually.

With an e-visa, the applicant only needs to access the Saudi Arabia e-visa application form, fill it out with the information on their passport, upload the required documents, pay the visa fees and get the e-visa delivered.

What is the validity and stay duration for the Saudi Arabia eVisa?

Citizens of Canada are authorised to obtain a multiple-entry Saudi Arabia e-visa and stay in the country for up to 90 days on every visit. The visa is valid for up to 360 days (one year). Throughout the one-year validity, the traveler can enter KSA multiple times.

Documents Required to Travel to Saudi Arabia

Canadian Passport: Canadian citizens must upload a digital scan of a valid passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months after leaving KSA and have two blank pages. If the passport is about to expire, it should be renewed before travel.
Passport-Size Photograph: Travelers must provide a recent passport-size photo showing their current look. The photo should be less than six months old, taken against a plain white background, in color, with a full front view of the face. The photo should not be blurry or distant. Do not wear hats, headgear, or glasses unless required for religious or medical reasons.

Obtaining a Saudi Arabia Tourist e-Visa

All Canadian citizens are allowed to apply for the Saudi Arabia evisa if they fulfill the eligibility criteria. Obtain a Saudi Arabia eVisa in just a few simple steps: complete the e-visa form, upload digital copies of travel documents, make the payment., wait for the visa approval. Each step is explained in detail below:

Fill out the Saudi Arabia eVisa Application Form:

Complete the eVisa application form using the required and requested information in the eVisa application form. Also, you must upload the documents asked for.

Application Submission and Fee Payment

Once you fill out the eVisa application form, you next need to make the payment for the eVisa using the payment methods available on the payment screen. There are multiple payment options to choose from.

Saudi Arabia eVisa Delivery

Once your Saudi Arabia eVisa application request is accepted and approved, the eVisa will be promptly delivered to the email address.

Saudi Arabia e-Visa Fees and Processing Time

For Canadian citizens applying for a Saudi Arabia visa online, it is important to be aware of the e-visa fees. Many applicants wonder about the cost and how to calculate it. The Saudi Arabia e-Visa fee for Canadians depends on the desired processing time selected by the applicants.

Visa Fee Checking Tool

To determine the exact visa fee for your specific requirements, you can utilise the Saudi Arabia Visa fee checking tool available on the Saudi Arabia e-Visa website. This tool makes it easy to find and verify the visa fee based on your individual circumstances.

Processing Types

Currently, there are three processing types available for Saudi Arabia e-visas.

Normal Processing: It takes 2-4 Working Days for processing and approval of the e-visa application. No additional fee is charged. The normal processing option follows the standard timeframe.
Rush Processing: It takes 1- 2 Working Days to process and approve the eVisa request. An additional fee is charged to expedite the process. The rush processing offers a faster turnaround.
Super Rush Processing: It takes 12 - 24 Hours to process and get your e-visa request approved. There is an additional fee (higher than the rush processing). Super rush processing offers the quickest available processing time.

Where will I receive updates related to my Saudi Arabia eVisa?

The traveller should have a valid and active email address to receive visa-related notifications and the approved visa.

What Should I Do to Avoid Saudi Arabia Visa Rejection?

It is important to note that you should avoid making mistakes in the visa application form and ensure your travel documents meet the required criteria from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Tourism.

Some of the reasons for Saudi Arabia eVisa rejection are as follows:

Information mismatch: The information you provide in the eVisa application form should match the information available on your passport biography page.
Eligibility Issue: Make sure your country's passport and you are eligible for the Saudi Arabia eVisa; otherwise, your eVisa request will be rejected.
Document errors: Make sure the documents you uploaded in your eVisa application are verified, correct, and free of any errors. The documents must be in English.

Note: Never submit the application without cross-checking the entered information with the passport. Always double-check every field and do not miss out on any questions; otherwise, you may have difficulties getting your visa approved. The Saudi Arabian authorities will gladly approve the application and issue the visa if your information is verified successfully. Saudi e-visa rejection rate is rare, but it could be possible if you do not provide authentic information.

Points to Note for Canadian Citizens

Please make sure to take care of the following issues.

Pork and alcohol are strictly forbidden in KSA except for residential areas dedicated to diplomatic personnel and ex-pats. However, even in these areas, you cannot consume them publicly.
In Saudi Arabia, photography is considered a sensitive issue, so you should avoid taking photos of holy sites unless the government has permitted it. Also, beware of taking pictures of military and government buildings.
Modest dressing is necessary for both male and female tourists in public areas. Women must keep their knees and shoulders covered all the time.
Always keep your personal identification documents in hand when traveling anywhere in KSA, as security personnel can ask for them, particularly at checkpoints.
Ensure your clothes don’t have any inappropriate text or images.

Entry and Exit Guidelines for Canadian Tourists in KSA

Entry Guideline: For Canadian citizens, the process of entry to Saudi Arabia is simple and only needs few step such as filing the e-visa application form, getting approval, etc. Please note that you need to carry your passport and e-visa at the time of arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Exit Guidelines: Respect your Saudi Arabia eVisa validity and do not try to overstay, as it can lead to many serious consequences such as deportation, fines, etc. Once your eVisa validity is over, exit the country and re-enter legally.

Are Canadian applicants with X-gender identifier passports eligible for KSA?

The Canadian government issues passports with X gender identifiers as well. So, if you want to travel to KSA with an X-gender passport, you may find it difficult to enter or transit through it, as it has certain entry limitations. KSA and many other countries do not recognise this passport.

The rules are different if you are travelling with a temporary passport or have an emergency travel document.

How is the Saudi Arabia eVisa better than the Visa on Arrival?

The Saudi Arabia e-visa is a much more convenient option, as you can travel confidently without any confusion surrounding visa issuance. Visa on arrival is a possibility, but it takes a lot of time and effort from the traveler. They have to stand in long queues sometimes for several hours if many people are awaiting their visas, and a slight glitch in the identity verification can cause trouble. Therefore, obtaining an e-visa before traveling to KSA is better to avoid any unforeseen complications after arriving in the kingdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Canadian citizens can easily obtain an e-visa. Then they should fill out the Saudi Arabia e-visa Application Form in which they will provide personal, passport, and travel-related details. They must upload some necessary travel documents in digital format and pay the visa fees. Afterwards, they only need to wait for visa approval.

Muslim tourists can perform Umrah without specifically obtaining an Umrah e-visa. If they have a valid tourist e-visa, they can use it for Umrah. However, they cannot use a tourist e-visa for performing Hajj. And Umrah pilgrimage is allowed only before and after the Hajj season.

Women intending to visit KSA for touristic purposes are allowed to travel solo. They can apply for the e-visa and stay in Saudi Arabia for the entire stay validity period of 90 days without any hassle or difficulty.

Yes, Canadian citizens are allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia with minors. But they have to apply for the e-visa for their children. Moreover, children must be accompanied by either their parents or guardian. If one parent is accompanying the minor, they must have written permission from the other parent.

Content Disclaimer: This information is accurate as of May 2025. Travelers should verify all entry requirements with relevant embassies, government authorities, or airlines before finalizing any travel plans.