Saudi Arabia Announces instant e-visa system
Saudi Arabia’s tourism ministry unveiled a new “Visa by Profile” e-visa system enabling eligible Visa cardholders to obtain a tourist visa within minutes.
Saudi Arabia introduced a streamlined electronic tourist visa system on Thursday, enabling travellers to secure a visa in just minutes using only their Visa card and passport details. Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al‑Khateeb announced that the new “Visa by Profile” initiative was unveiled at the TOURISE25 Summit.
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The system was developed in collaboration between the Saudi Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Visa Inc. and the Saudi Tourism Authority.
Al-Khateeb said this was part of the Kingdom’s aim to create a “simple, seamless, and globally connected” travel experience.
Saudi Arabia has already made strong gains in tourism. In 2024 the Kingdom ranked first among G20 nations in international tourist arrivals and led the world in tourism revenue growth.
The country originally targeted 100 million annual visitors by 2030 but achieved that target ahead of schedule in 2023, prompting a new goal of 150 million visitors annually by 2030.
At the summit closure, Al-Khateeb also announced three other initiatives — Agentic Tourism, TOURISE Destination and Beyond Tourism — aimed at transforming the sector further. Training and workforce development partnerships with leading hospitality institutions were a key part of that push.
The launch of the new e-visa system reflects Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy under its Vision 2030 agenda to diversify its economy away from oil and build the kingdom into a global tourism hub. The system’s ease of use is likely to boost visitor flows, accelerate spending in hospitality and retail, and strengthen the kingdom’s competitive position in global tourism markets.
The rollout will likely face coordination and infrastructure demands, and its success will hinge on how well the system fares in practice and how tourists respond. The e-visa launch comes at a time when countries across the region are upping digital travel services and competing fiercely for tourist dollars.
