Saudi Arabia entry requirements for Canadian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Government of Canada): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Government of Canada): Valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Saudi Arabia. Official text
Official source: Government of Canada – Saudi Arabia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Entry and exit requirements” · page last updated 11 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Whether Canadians need a visa for Saudi Arabia and how long a Canadian passport must be valid, as published by the Government of Canada, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Australian passport
Driving in Saudi Arabia, do you need an international driving permit? Australian licence
Do Canadians need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The official text also mentions an electronic travel authorization, e-visa, arrival card, online form or registration, tourist card or fee: read it in full.
Official text, “Visas”:
Tourist visa: required
Business visa: required
Student visa: required
Work visa: required
Overstaying your visa will result in heavy fines and you will be unable to exit the country until the fine has been paid.
Tourist visa
You can obtain a tourist visa online before your trip or upon arrival at the airport. The tourist visa allows for multiple entries and is valid for one year. You can stay up to a maximum of 90 days in total per year. Muslim tourists can perform Umrah with any type of visa, but a specific visa is required to perform Hajj.
Apply for a tourist visa online – Visit Saudi Arabia
Also in the official “Entry and exit requirements” section:
Pilgrimage
You must present a valid Hajj visa if you travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. This visa is only valid for travel to Jeddah, Mecca and Medina, and for travel between these cities. Non-Muslims are forbidden from travelling to the holy city of Mecca. Pilgrims performing Hajj must make arrangements on a dedicated online platform.
Women of all ages may travel without a mahram (male guardian, such as a brother, father or husband) to perform Hajj or Umrah. A notarized letter of no objection from the mahram is no longer required.
In the period preceding and during the Hajj pilgrimage, Muslim visitors require a valid Hajj visa to board flights to Jeddah, Medina and Taif. Muslims with business or tourist visas may enter Saudi Arabia through any other entry point.
Useful links
- Foreign representatives in Canada
- Visit Saudi – Saudi Tourism Authority
- Nusuk Hajj Platform – Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Entry and exit visas
Holders of a resident permit
If you have a resident permit (iqama), you can't leave the country without obtaining an exit visa or exit/re-entry visa from the Saudi Ministry of Interior if you intend to return to Saudi Arabia. You must have your sponsor's approval to obtain these visas.
Single-entry visa
Single-entry visa holders don't need an exit visa.
Outstanding fees for dependents
Prior to exit, expatriates who have outstanding fees for dependents may be required to pay at the point of exit prior to departure if they have an exit/re-entry visa, or on renewal of their exit/re-entry visa.
More from the official “Entry and exit requirements” section (other requirements)
Regional travel
Canadians have been denied entry into Saudi Arabia because their passports bore an Israeli visa, an Israeli border stamp or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel. Such a stamp would indicate the traveller visited Israel prior to coming to Saudi Arabia.
Health entry and stay requirements
You must provide a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test certificate and proof of a criminal background check if you intend to work in Saudi Arabia.
Official source: Government of Canada – Saudi Arabia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Visas” · page last updated 11 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
How long must my Canadian passport be valid for Saudi Arabia?
In short: Valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Saudi Arabia.
Our one-line summary of the official sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. Your airline may apply stricter rules.
Official text, “Regular Canadian passport”:
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Saudi Arabia.
Official source: Government of Canada – Saudi Arabia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Regular Canadian passport” · page last updated 11 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
For Canadian passport holders. These rules are published by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) for Canadian citizens travelling on a regular Canadian passport. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not a Government of Canada site and is not endorsed by the Government of Canada. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Saudi Arabia (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
Spotted a change? Tell us.
Canadian passport: all destinations · British passport rules · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status