Single vs multiple exit and re-entry visas: fee structure and validity
Expatriates and their sponsored family members in Saudi Arabia can choose between two main exit/re-entry visa types depending on their travel frequency and duration:
Single Exit/Re-Entry Visa: Issued for a single trip. The base government fee is SAR 200 for a duration of up to two months (60 days). Each additional month requested costs SAR 100, up to the validity limit of the applicant’s Iqama.
Multiple Exit/Re-Entry Visa: Allows repeated departures and re-entries during the visa validity. The base government fee is SAR 500 for a duration of up to three months (90 days). Each additional month requested costs SAR 200, up to the Iqama validity limit. Note that fees are paid per person, including each sponsored dependent, and are non-refundable once the visa is generated in Absher or Muqeem.
Mandatory prerequisites: passport validity, Iqama and traffic fines
The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) and Absher enforce strict electronic checks before an exit/re-entry or final exit visa can be issued:
1. 90-day passport rule: The applicant’s original passport must have at least 90 days of remaining validity at the time of issuance for an exit/re-entry visa (or at least 60 days for a final exit visa). If your passport expires sooner, renew it and complete the passport transfer (Naql Ma’loomat) in Absher before applying.
2. Valid Iqama: The residency permit must be active and valid for the entire duration of the requested trip.
3. Zero traffic violations: All unpaid traffic fines registered against the worker, dependent or sponsoring employer must be settled through SADAD before the portal permits visa generation.
4. Physical presence inside the Kingdom: The individual must be inside Saudi Arabia at the moment the visa is generated.
Extending an exit/re-entry visa while outside Saudi Arabia
If an expatriate or family dependent is already outside Saudi Arabia and needs more time before returning, the sponsor can extend the visa electronically before it expires. For family dependents and domestic workers, the head of household completes the extension in Absher Individuals under 'Extend Exit and Re-Entry for Sponsorees Outside Kingdom'. For private-sector employees, the employer processes it through Absher Business or Muqeem.
Important rules apply to extensions from abroad: First, the government monthly fee is doubled—costing SAR 200 per extra month for single visas and SAR 400 per extra month for multiple visas. Second, the resident's Iqama must have at least 90 days of validity remaining, and the return date must fall at least 7 days before the Iqama expires. Never let the visa expire while abroad without completing the extension.
Final exit visa (Khurooj Nihai): the 60-day departure window and fines
A Final Exit Visa permanently terminates your residency in Saudi Arabia. Once issued, you have exactly 60 calendar days from the issuance date to depart the Kingdom, regardless of the remaining validity printed on your physical Iqama card.
If plans change, the sponsor can cancel the final exit visa free of charge within that same 60-day window, provided the worker remains inside the country and holds a valid Iqama. However, if the 60-day window expires without departure or cancellation, an automatic SAR 1,000 fine is levied. The fine must be paid through SADAD before Jawazat will allow the visa to be cancelled or reissued, and the Iqama must still be valid.
2024 Jawazat update: lifting of the 3-year re-entry penalty
Historically, expatriates who left Saudi Arabia on an exit and re-entry visa and failed to return before it expired faced an automatic three-year ban on entering the Kingdom on a new work visa. That long-standing penalty created widespread uncertainty for workers whose travel was delayed or contracts ended while abroad.
On January 16, 2024, the General Directorate of Passports officially abolished the 3-year ban. Expatriates who overstayed an exit/re-entry visa abroad can now return to Saudi Arabia at any time on a newly issued work visa sponsored by either their former employer or a new company, provided they meet standard recruitment, medical, and passport conditions.
Issuing visas independently under the Labour Reform Initiative (LRI)
Under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) Labour Reform Initiative, private-sector expatriates with authenticated Qiwa contracts can submit exit/re-entry and final exit visa requests directly through Absher without requiring prior employer approval or paper no-objection certificates.
When a worker requests a visa under this mechanism, the Ministry's system automatically notifies the employer electronically. The employee remains responsible for contractual notice periods and financial commitments, ensuring smooth departure without administrative delays.