North Macedonian travellers can now get Saudi tourist visas online or on arrival

Saudi Arabia has widened its tourist visa eligibility to cover four additional nationalities, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. Citizens of Mexico, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia can now apply for Saudi tourist visas.

Key facts

• Who: citizens of Mexico, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia
• What: eligibility for Saudi tourist visas
• Announced by: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Visa routes: e-Visa, visa on arrival, and transit or stopover visa
• Permitted purposes: events, Umrah, exhibitions and conferences, visiting relatives and friends

What is changing?

Travellers holding passports from the four newly listed countries are now able to obtain tourist visas for Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visas cover purposes including attending events, performing Umrah, taking part in exhibitions and conferences, and visiting relatives and friends.

Who is affected?

The change applies to citizens of Mexico, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. No other nationalities are mentioned in the announcement.

How can travellers apply?

According to the official Visit Saudi website, eligible travellers from the four countries can apply through three routes: an electronic visa (e-Visa), a visa on arrival, or a transit or stopover visa. Each category is subject to its own requirements and regulations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Ministry added that all visits remain subject to the Kingdom's applicable rules and instructions.

What has not been announced?

The announcement does not state visa fees, permitted length of stay, visa validity, processing times or any specific document requirements for the newly eligible nationalities. It also gives no separate start date, describing the eligibility as already in effect.

What this means for travellers

Citizens of Mexico, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia can now plan tourist travel to Saudi Arabia without needing to fall under a previous eligibility category. Before booking, they should check which of the three visa routes — e-Visa, visa on arrival or transit/stopover visa — suits their trip, since each carries its own requirements and regulations.

No further changes to the eligibility list have been announced.