Can I invite a friend who isn't a relative to visit me in Saudi Arabia?

Not as a resident sponsor: MOFA's Personal Visit Request, for visitors with no family or business link, lists citizens as the applicants, so a friend who isn't a relative would apply for a visa themselves, such as a tourism visit visa if they're eligible.

What MOFA's services cover

• Personal Visit Request: for visitors with no business or family relation to the applicant; the eligible applicants listed are citizens.
• Family Visit Request: residents with a work iqama can invite first-degree relatives, such as parents, a spouse and children.

Tourism visit visas and insurance

• The Council of Health Insurance says health insurance is mandatory as part of issuing a tourism visit visa.
• It covers health emergencies through a network of approved healthcare providers across the Kingdom.
• Visitors apply through the Saudi Tourism website's visa form, and the insurance is activated once the visa is issued.

Next steps

1. Ask your friend to check their eligibility for a tourism visit visa on the official platform.
2. Share your address and contact details if their application asks for them.
3. Remind them that the included insurance covers emergencies, so they may want their own travel insurance too.

Official sources

• MOFA: Personal Visa Request
• MOFA: Family Visit Request
• Council of Health Insurance: Health insurance for tourists

On Saudi Expats: the visit visa document checklist and our MOFA visa guide.

Checked September 2026. Visa options and eligibility change, so confirm on the official platforms before booking flights.

Had friends visit you here? Share your experience below: which visa did they use?