Family Visit Visa Application Guide
Are you planning to reunite with your family in Saudi Arabia on a visit visa? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll detail the steps to apply for a family visit visa as an expatriate resident through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) online portal. We’ll cover the essential documents and key tips for a successful application. Let’s get started.
Which Family Members are Eligible?
When applying for a family visit visa, it is important to understand which family members are eligible to be included in your application. Generally, immediate family members such as spouses, children, parents, and siblings are eligible. In some cases, grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, and other close relatives may also qualify.
Application Requirements
Expats of all professions, including laborers and house drivers, can now apply for a family visit visa in Saudi Arabia. To apply, you will need a valid Iqama with a minimum of 3 months validity, applicant passport information, and Nafath registration.
How to Apply for a Family Visit Visa
To apply for a family visit visa in Saudi Arabia:
- Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) portal at https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index
- Select “Services for Citizens and Residents” from the Home Screen
- Choose the “Resident” option and then click the “Apply” button under the “Family Visit Visa Application for Residents” tab.
- Log in with your Nafath account.
Instructions on Completing the Application Form
To fill out the online visa application form for a family visit visa in Saudi Arabia, follow these steps:
- On the first page of the application, the system will automatically fetch your details. You will need to enter the following information:
- The address should be the same as the city where you submit the visa application, the Chamber of Commerce.
- Visit Objective: “زيارة أفراد الأسرة” (Family Visit)
- Saudi Visa Number (if applicable, as written on your work visa stamped on your passport at the time of entering Saudi Arabia. If you were born in KSA, leave the field blank)
- Click the “Add” button. On the next page, enter the personal details of the family visit visa applicant, including:
- Name as per passport (in English only)
- Birth Date
- Birth Place
- Gender
- Occupation (in Arabic)
- Mobile Number
- Religion
- Relationship (select “Others” if applying for someone else, such as a brother or sister)
- Scroll down and enter the passport details of the applicant, including:
- Passport Number
- Passport Type: Normal
- Passport Issue Date
- Passport Expiry Date
- Passport Issue Location (the country of the passport holder)
- Scroll down further and select the type of family visit visa you wish to apply for:
- Single-entry visit visa (valid for 90 days with 2 possible 90-day extensions, for a total of 270 days)
- Multiple-entry visit visa (valid for 90 days, with a possible 30-day extension through a Tawasul request)
- If applying to more than one family member, click the “Add” button again to enter their details.
- Check the “Agreement Approval” box and click the “Save” button.
Once you have finished filling out the form, the MOFA website will give you a reference number. Keep this number; you will use it later to check the status of your visa. You will also need to print out the form for further processing.
Submission and Approval Process
After filling out the application, you will need to have your employer sign and stamp it.
- If you are a private employee, you will then submit the application to the chamber of commerce in the same city as the address you provided in the application.
- If you are a government employee, you will submit the application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- For domestic workers, the employer will approve the visa through their Absher account. There is no need to submit the application anywhere else.
Recommended for You: How to Check Family Visit Visa Application Status Online
Once your visa has been approved, you will need to submit it to the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in your home country for processing.
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