A carefully sourced preparation guide — the correct MOFA Visa Platform application route, a document checklist, and the difference between entry window, permitted stay, and extension. This is a preparation guide, not a guarantee of eligibility, approval, fees, or processing time.
A family visit visa is a temporary travel authorization that lets an eligible relative visit a resident or citizen in Saudi Arabia for a limited period. It is requested through an official government service, not arranged informally.
The resident (or citizen) in Saudi Arabia — the prospective host/sponsor — submits the request, not the visiting relative.
This reflects commonly reported steps, not a guaranteed sequence — your own application may show a different order or extra steps.
Valid, current Iqama. Occupation checked against the platform's permitted-profession list. Any employer/Chamber of Commerce authentication requirement confirmed for your profession type.
Passport valid for at least 6 months (commonly reported). Awareness that health insurance will be required, at a price shown by the official process rather than assumed in advance.
Spouse: marriage certificate. Children: birth certificate showing the sponsor's name. Parents: sponsor's birth certificate showing the parents' names. Documents are commonly reported to need translation/attestation — confirm exact requirements for your document's country of origin.
The date range during which the visitor must arrive in Saudi Arabia under the issued visa. This is not the same as how long they may stay once inside.
How long the visitor may remain in the Kingdom after entering. Sources describe this as varying by visa option (e.g., a single-entry visa's total permitted stay versus a multiple-entry visa's per-visit cap) rather than one fixed number for every case.
The specific date shown on the issued visa or portal record by which the visitor must leave (or extend/re-enter, if applicable) — always the figure to rely on over any generic guide.
Reported as generally possible, with a fee and process that varies by source. This guide does not assume every visa can be extended, or extended only once — check whether an extension option is shown for your specific visa on the official platform.
Visitor health insurance is commonly reported as required, linked to the Council of Health Insurance framework. Reported prices vary considerably by source and household size — this guide does not state a fixed price. Check the amount shown in your own application or by your insurer.
Extension is reported as generally possible, subject to a fee and conditions that vary by source and were not confirmed against a single primary fee table. Whether your specific visa can be extended, and what it costs, is information that becomes available only once you review your own application or the official platform directly.
The MOFA Visa Platform is commonly described as offering a no-login "search for a submitted request" inquiry using the visitor's passport number, nationality, visa type, and port of entry — showing whether a request is accepted, rejected, or still processing. Use the official platform directly for this; this guide does not check status for you.
Follow the official platform. This guide reflects patterns reported across multiple independent sources at the time of writing — fees, durations, eligible relationships, and processing steps are subject to change and may differ by case. Whatever value your own official application or issued visa displays takes precedence over anything stated here.
Sponsor gathers a marriage certificate (for a spouse) or birth certificate showing the sponsor's name (for a child), confirms translation/attestation status, and checks that their occupation is listed as eligible before starting the MOFA Visa Platform request.
Sponsor prepares their own birth certificate showing the parents' names, confirms each parent's passport has at least 6 months' validity (commonly reported), and submits a separate request per parent as commonly described.
A sponsor wants to invite a sibling. Multiple sources describe siblings as generally falling under a separate "personal visit" category rather than "family visit" — this guide does not assume sibling eligibility and directs the sponsor to confirm the correct request type on the official platform.
The issued visa shows an entry window (e.g., a date range to arrive) that is separate from the permitted-stay date once inside the Kingdom. The sponsor is advised to record both dates from the actual visa rather than assume they are the same span.
A sponsor asks whether their visitor's visa can be extended. This guide does not answer categorically — it directs the sponsor to check the official platform for an extension option specific to that visa, since availability and cost were not confirmed as universal.
This guide and its optional checklist never ask for an Iqama number, passport number, login information, uploaded documents, names, or birth dates. Checklist answers are processed only in your browser and are not stored in localStorage or sent to any server.
| Authority | Page | Claim supported | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) | mofa.gov.sa e-services — Family Visit Request | Official family-visit request service exists for first-degree relatives; profession/authentication conditions apply | 27 Jul 2026 |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) | visa.mofa.gov.sa — Visa Platform | Application path via Nafath sign-in; no-login status inquiry by passport/nationality/visa type/port of entry | 27 Jul 2026 |
| Independent legal & service-guide sources (cross-referenced, multiple) | Various Saudi service-guide and legal-commentary sites (see links above) | Reported ~SAR 300 fee + variable e-service charge; reported variable insurance pricing; reported single- vs. multiple-entry duration patterns; reported sibling/"personal visit" distinction; reported ~3 working-day processing — confidence: medium, not primary-confirmed | 27 Jul 2026 |
| Absher / Muqeem | absher.sa / muqeem.sa | Relevant to related residency-side services; not confirmed as the initial family-visit application route | 27 Jul 2026 |
This is a preparation guide only. It is not connected to MOFA, Absher, Muqeem, or any government system, and figures mentioned here may change — always verify current details on the official MOFA Visa Platform. Last reviewed: July 2026.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This guide provides general preparation information only. It does not guarantee eligibility, approval, fees, insurance pricing, permitted-stay length, extension availability, or processing time. Always verify your real situation with the MOFA Visa Platform, Absher, the relevant Saudi embassy/consulate, or a licensed immigration professional.