How Apply Family Visa In Ksa
I need to get my visa from vfs versailles, I am waiting for the appointment in March. They told me that if I’ll receive my visa I have to have a medical test which has cost me 950 euros. I also need to pay a verifications company called arvisa and they will make all the verifications work and then send the confirmation to VFS. Then after VFS receives the confirmation they will schedule my appointment. But my problem is that I want to move as soon as possible with my family to KSA and now I’m using a tourist visa (single entry) why is that? If I change it through vfs I have to wait 90 days before getting it from them, am I right?
If your parent, husband, wife or brother is living in Saudi Arabia then it’s very important for you to know how to apply family visit visa in KSA.The KSA family visa is a non-independent visa issued to foreign nationals who intend to live with their families in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The family visa is issued based on documents submitted by the sponsor (i.e., relative or employer) who is a Saudi citizen or residing in the Kingdom and can show proof that he has enough income to support the foreign national and members of his/her family in KSA.
How Apply Family Visa In Ksa
How to Get Mofa Family Visit Visa Saudi Arabia: 2021 Updates
MOFA FAMILY VISIT VISA REQUIREMENTS, FEES & APPLICATION PROCESS
By DEB PATI last updated on MAY 24, 2021
This article has been written with direct inputs from Pakistani citizen Sahil Khan who has been working and living in Saudi Arabia since 2015. His wife and daughter got the Saudi Family Visit Visa and visited him in Saudi Arabia multiple times.
There are many types of Saudi visas. A family Visit Visa or Mofa Family Visit Visa can be issued to an immediate family member of the legal residents or citizens of KSA. This is specifically meant for family members to be able to visit KSA and stay or spend time with their family.
There are two types of Mofa Family Visit Visa.
| Number of Entries | Duration | Validity |
| Single | 30 days | 3 months |
| Multiple | 90 days | 1 year |
Validity vs Duration of Saudi Visit Visas
I have been getting a lot of comments on this, so let me clarify. Not just the MOFA family visit visa, lots of visas in the world come with a validity period, and a duration.Validity decides by when can you enter the country.
Duration decides the duration the visa gives you can stay in the country before the validity expires.
So for example, let’s say the visa is stamped on Jan. 2020.
It has multiple entries and expires on 21-01-2022.
In this case, the visa holder can enter any day before 21-01-2022. But the duration starts when you enter. So if you enter on 10-02-2020, then that’s when the count starts.
- The multiple entry visa is valid for 1 year after it is stamped.
- The single entry visa is valid for 90 days from the date of stamping.
Family Visit Visa MOFA Approval Validity
Once you get the Family Visit Visa MOFA Approval, you need to get the stamping done within 90 days from the date of approval.
- COVID Update: Stamping MOFA Family Visit Visa in Dubai for Indians
- Who can Get MOFA Family Visit Visa for Saudi Arabia?
- How to Apply Mofa Family Visit Visa?
- How much Does a Saudi Family Visit Visa Cost?
- How to Check Your Family Visit Visa Status Online?
- Can You Extend Family Visit Visa for Saudi Arabia?
- Do You Need Health Insurance for KSA Family Visit Visa?
- KSA Family Visit Visa Rejection Reasons
- MOFA Family Visit Visa F.A.Q.S
COVID Update: Stamping MOFA Family Visit Visa in Dubai for Indians
Update: Now the Saudi embassy in Delhi is stamping the visas. But if you already are in Dubai or already purchased the tickets, you can stamp it there.
To get the Family visit visa stamping in Dubai, you first and foremost need to get the visit visa approved.And give Dubai as option or destination while applying for visa.
Then check whether you need a visa for Dubai or not. If you are an Indian, go through the article on Dubai tourist visa from India to learn how to get a visa for Dubai. Since the quarantine requirement is for 14 days, get a 30-day UAE tourist visa, as arriving and departing dates are not counted in UAE.
No need for any residential ID.
Once you are in Dubai, you need to quarantine and do the PCR test as per the government requirements and then go for the Saudi visit visa stamping.
Check on the latest developments on this as this can change without any notice.
You need the following documents:
- Online visa
- Original Passport(Minimum Validity 6 Months) and old passports if any
- Photographs(6×4 And Background Should Be White)
- Sponsor’s passport copy
- Sponsor’s Iqama copy- valid for at least 90 days
- Marriage Certificate
- Birth Certificate
Once done, buy a flight ticket from Dubai to Saudi Arabia and leave.
Who can Get MOFA Family Visit Visa for Saudi Arabia?
A family visit visa is issued to immediate family members only. So if you are a legal Saudi resident or citizen, only the following people are eligible for a family visit visa.
- Parents
- Children
- Father-in-law and mother-in-law
- Husband or wife
- Brothers/Sisters of foreign wives/husbands married to Saudis
This means the following family members can’t get a Mofa family visit visa.
- Cousins
- Uncle/aunt
- Nieces/nephews
- Grand parents
If you ask me, grand parents should be considered immediate family members, but I digress. Maybe some day, that will change.
This article is written from the point of view of a legal resident of Saudi Arabia. The process is same if you are a citizen. The only difference will be that you would be filling in everything in Arabic and you won’t need an Iqama.
Are All Professions Eligible for Saudi Family Visa?
One of the deciding factors in the KSA Family Visa is the profession of the Iqama holder in KSA.Unfortunately, not all professions are eligible to sponsor a family visa.
And the profession that your Iqama says is the only one that matters, not what you have studied or what you did before coming to KSA or that you do something in your company that doesn’t go with your Iqama.
With help of some fellow expats, I have compiled an article that contains the complete list of professions that can sponsor KSA Family Visa, and the process to change your Iqama profession.
Please go through the article before commenting.
Can You Bring Wife’s Brother/Sister on Saudi Family Visit Visa
There has been a very recent announcement that now you can apply for a family visit visa for your brother, sister, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. So hopefully the option will soon be available online.
But it is not yet finalized. I will update the article when it is fully implemented.
Now, some expats swear that they have been able to apply under the “other” option and mentioned brother/sister there. But I can’t really assure you how true is that. So you can give that a shot or wait for the new rule to be implemented.
How to Apply Mofa Family Visit Visa?
A Saudi Family visit visa application is a process that involves separate processes for the family member living in Saudi Arabia and the applicant who is outside Saudi Arabia.
In order to get the family visit visa, an Iqama holder has to initiate the process in Saudi Arabia. The Iqama holder’s dependents cannot themselves apply for a visit visa application using their own Iqamas.
Various websites often open in Arabic. Try to see change the language to English by clicking on the option on the top left corner.
1. Apply For Family Visit Visa at MOFA Online
The resident Iqama holder has to submit an application for the family visit visa on behalf of the visitor. For this, the Iqama should be valid for at least 4 months.
In order to apply for Saudi family visit visa, the very first step would be to start the process on the official visa services platform.
On Visa Services Platform
Choose Individuals, and select your category. Note that if you select citizen, you would need to fill in the whole application in Arabic.
Select Resident and then click on the “Family Visit Visa Application for Residents”.
You will be forwarded to the application page. Click on “I agree”.
Enter Iqama Holder’s Residency Number (Iqama Number). You can apply for multiple visitors by adding different visitors in the same application
You need to fill in the personal details and visa details such as
- Visa Type: Single or Multiple Entry
- Border Number (Handwritten Number on Passport Stamped Pages)
- Sponsor Details: Address, City, Email and Mobile
- Visitor info: DOB, Passport number, Nationality, Religion
- Relationship with Visitor
Make sure to write your email correctly and your mobile number using 00966 & mobile number.
2. Get Approval from Sponsor/The Chamber of Commerce
Once the Saudi legal resident/Iqama holder has printed out the MOFA online visit visa application form, he/she can take it to the sponsor to sign and stamp the document.
The Saudi Chamber of Commerce can also attest the MOFA application form if required for private company workers. Chamber of commerce attestation is done online by sponsor company or kafeel.
3. Send Completed Form/Visa Number to Visitor
Once signed and stamped by the sponsor, usually it takes a week or less for the status to be reflected in the MOFA portal. You can check the status of the MOFA visa application using the application number and your ID number.
If the visa application has been granted, you can send the scanned copy of the completed, signed, and stamped application form to your family member applying for the Family Visit Visa outside Saudi Arabia.