Guidelines and Instructions issued to the Kingdom's
Diplomatic Missions abroad on granting
Entry Visa to Businessmen & Investors

        
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consular Section) issued a number of Controls and Instructions for arrangements of granting the businessmen and the investor’s entry to visit their counterparts from the missions directly without consulting the Ministry. In this regard the Diplomatic Missions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques have been issued the following Instructions and Guidelines:

1- Representatives of foreign companies and establishments, businessmen and the investors are granted visit visas to the Kingdom for commercial purposes. These visitors include representatives of contracting and investing companies inside the Kingdom. The Consulate must be informed with confirmation of acquainting and investing prior to issuance of such visa.

2- The Representatives of the foreign companies and establishments who want to visit the Kingdom to look for chances to investigate and study Saudi Market are granted visas in their countries if the union and Boards of Chambers of Industries and Commerce make the request for the same.

3- Applications for commercial visits for businessmen and investors that are filed with the missions by fax by Saudi companies and establishments which have attested those applications from Saudi Chamber of Industry and Commerce, will be accepted. But the government companies, i.e. Saudi Airlines and Aramco, and the companies in which the country has more than 50% of the Capital, i.e. Sabic, do not need to attest their applications from the Chamber of Commerce.

4- Foreign businessmen and investors of the countries where the Kingdom has no missions can be granted visas by Saudi Missions offices of the neighboring countries after the applicants visits commercial character has been checked. These applicants must have a confirmation letter from the Chamber of Commerce in their countries or memo from their countries’ embassies indicating the commercial character of their visits.

5- Foreign businessmen and investors (non- residents) who have been invited by Saudi companies of Industrial and Commerce chambers and who have letters from their countries are granted to obtain visas from their countries directly.

6- Visas for businesswomen can be issued internally by Saudi Companies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or one of its branches and also can be issued for her in case her husband or blood relatives accompany her.

7- Visit Visa can be granted to businessman’s wife or the wife of the representative of the company or establishment after the confirmation of the relationship.

8- Indicated instructions cannot be applied to the people who have commercial character, i.e. if they are technicians, craftsmen, engineers, teachers, professors, lawyers, computer programmers, mechanics, doctors, and others who do not have commercial character, who visit through Saudi companies and establishments to finalize some temporary work visas. Individuals who desire to visit the Kingdom have to file their applications with concerned authorities in the kingdom to obtain work visas.

9- Visas for the participants in commercial exhibitions held in Kingdom and which are licensed by the Ministry of Commerce can be granted internally according to the data presented by Saudi companies organizing the commercial exhibitions for the Ministry of Commerce. After studying and confirmation, the data can be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be sent to the concerned missions according to the Telegram No. 2501/24 dated 12/11/1422H. corresponding to 26/1/2002 issued by H.E. The Minister of Commerce.

10- Visas for doctors for whom the hospitals present visit applications for limited time can be issued internally after the concerned hospital presents a letter from the Ministry of Health confirming the entry of the required doctor; this is valid according to the telegram No. 1297/15 dated 14/11/1422H corresponding to 28/1/2002 issued by H.E. The Minister of Health.

11- Visas covering commercial and industrial information can be issued internally by the Kingdom (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any of its branches) after the attachment of letter confirming entrance; this would be valid according to the Telegram No. 2039/21 dated 2/12/1422H. corresponding to 15/2/2002 of H.E. The Minister of Information.

12- Validity of commercial visa issued by consulates is for one month maximum. For some satisfactory reasons the visa can be issued for more than one month, up to three months maximum.

13- Head of Consular Section can grant multiple visit visa for six months maximum and not more than one month for each visit for the people who are in need to repeat visits for short periods and for the applicants wishing to visit the companies and establishments for contracting and investing.

14- To apply this instruction the following conditions must be met:

a) Visitor must have a valid passport; the visitor can go back to his country or to another country. He must make these visits on transit ticket.

b) Visitor has to present a letter from his company indicating commercial character of his visit, purpose and time of the visit, and name of the company or establishment that he will visit.

c) The name of the company or establishment that he will visit should be mentioned on top of the visa along with the letter of confirmation by the inviting Saudi company that must be known and has commercial registration and is a member of any of the Chambers of Commerce in the kingdom.

Source:http://www.mofa.gov.sa/ooo/visa/Business_visas.htm