My exit re-entry visa expired while I was outside Saudi Arabia. What are my options?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a request to extend a return visa that has expired, made by your sponsor, but it has conditions, so contact your employer or family sponsor straight away.

What MOFA's service says

• It lets a citizen, resident, company or government body request an extension for someone they sponsor whose return visa has expired.
• MOFA's service page lists eligibility conditions, including how long the person has been outside the Kingdom, so have your sponsor read the current conditions on the platform.
• The iqama must still be valid, the online form is stamped electronically by the employer or Chamber of Commerce, and Ministry of Interior approval is recorded.
• It's requested on MOFA's visa platform under Individuals, Resident, Re-Entry Visa Extension Application. MOFA lists 3 business days, and the page doesn't show a fee.

What to do now

1. Contact HR (or your family sponsor) with your passport and iqama details and the reason for the delay.
2. Ask them to check whether your case fits MOFA's extension conditions or needs a different route.
3. Check your iqama's validity: Jawazat ties re-entry visa months to the iqama's validity, and MOFA's extension also needs a valid iqama.
4. Keep copies of your tickets, visa and any messages about the delay.

Rules on coming back after a re-entry visa expires have changed over the years, so rely on your sponsor's check in the official systems rather than stories online.

Official sources

• MOFA: Request for Extending a Return Visa
• MOFA: Request for Extending a Return Visa (Arabic)
• General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat): Fees (Arabic)

On Saudi Expats: the exit re-entry visa guide and the exit re-entry visa fee calculator.

Checked September 2026. MOFA's service page was last updated in January 2024; your sponsor will see the current requirements on the platform.

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