The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been making renewed efforts to invite people to the country for more than just religious reasons. Under the Saudi Vision 2030 economic reform plan, introduced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia is aiming to reduce its dependence on oil, by diversifying across several sectors, including tourism for culture, deserts and ecology.
Visitors to the country need a Saudi Arabia valid visa, unless they come from one of the visa-exempt nations. In September 2019, the Kingdom launched its Saudi online visa program, which allow visitors from 51 countries to obtain visas online for a fee, prior to arrival or upon arrival. Single-entry visas allow stays of up to one month, while multiple entry visas allow stay of up to 3 months in the Kingdom.
There are also other types of visas issued by the Saudi government, such as visas for expatriates, Saudi business visit visas, family visit visas and visas for Muslims travelling for Hajj and Umrah, known as Umrah visas. Apart from this, people whose countries were not included in the new 2019 visa program are encouraged to contact the Saudi embassy or consulate in their own country to get a visa.
The Enjazit online registration is an important part of most Saudi visa applications. It is a vital process for informing the designated processing consulate of incoming applications and to pay for the visa service.
What is the Enjazit Visa Application?
Enjaz is an electronic application for the Saudi visa that is directly sent to the KSA Embassy, listed in the invitation letter. A visa for business development, employment or visiting an employed family member in the Kingdom can be obtained only with an appropriate invitation letter from the host. The consulate mentioned in the letter needs to match the one you are applying to. The printed Enjaz receipt will also need to be included with all the documents you submit at the consulate.
There are two ways to go about the Enjaz application. You can either submit the application yourself online, or you go through an Saudi Arabian embassy authorised company, which works with the Embassy on a daily basis. This process is not meant for the tourist visa, for which the Saudi government has now introduced a separate Saudi evisa portal to file applications.
If you decide to file the Enjazit visa application on your own, you can do so on the official website. The site is in Arabic, so you will first need to choose to translate it into English. After that, click on the “Individual” link to enter the system.
The application process has hurdles at various stages, which is why people usually prefer to go through a registered company, such as Saudi Able Link, which is adept at dealing with the process.
How Does the Enjaz System Help?
Enjaz, a leading information technology company in Saudi Arabia, forms a link between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the public, to process all electronic transaction services. All Saudi missions worldwide are obliged to accept visa payment services only through Enjaz or an authorised office of the Embassy. This helps the procedure to be smooth and transparent.
What Types of Saudi Arabia Visas Can Be Applied for Through Enjazit Online?
There are 14 types of Saudi visas granted by the Saudi Embassy. Some of them require online registration on Enjazit, as part of the application process. Applications need to be submitted through one of the embassy’s authorised visa offices registered with Enjaz. The visa types granted via Enjazit include:
- Government Visit Visa
- Diplomatic Missions and Organizations
- Business Visit Visa
- Employment Visa
- Residence Visa
- Newborn Visa
- Extension of Exit /Re-entry Visa
- Family Visit Visa
- Companion Visa
- Personal Visit Visa
- Student Visa
Saudi Tourist visa and Hajj visa applicants of allowed nations can apply for visas online or on arrival at any one of Saudi Arabia’s international airports. If you are transiting through Saudi Arabia, and there is a gap of 12 hours or more between your connecting flights, you might have to get a transit visa.
Confirm with your designated Saudi Embassy or Saudi Arabia visa agency, once the ticket is booked because you might not be allowed to board the next flight without a transit visa. Transit visas can also depend on the type of passport you hold.
What is the Online Registration Process for the Enjazit Visa?
The first order of business is to have a recent passport-sized, coloured photograph of the applicant, against a white background. According to the visa norms, the photo should be 2” x 2” in size, with a full face view, where the person is facing the camera directly. This passport-size photo has to be uploaded in your Enjazit application, and may have to be cropped to to fit the box.
- Go to https://enjazit.com.sa/
- Choose the category “Individual”
- Choose “Application for Visa from Saudi Missions Abroad”
- Fill out the application form
- Scan and upload the same photo that you have submitted with the PDF form
- Choose your Saudi visa type, according to your letter of invitation
- Choose the right Saudi mission according to your letter. Too find out how, see our page.
- Submit your application and pay the visa fee through an accepted mode of payment
- Take a printout of the Enjaz application form and payment receipt and attach to your application package sent to the Saudi Consular section.
What is the Enjazit Application Fee?
For application, Enjaz will charge you $10.50. For the application to be complete and acceptable by the Embassy, you will need to pay the Consular fee along with the Enjaz fee. This process of payment can be frustrating for some people, since the system might show error messages continuously and not accept your payment.
This is why many find it easier to submit the Enjazit application and fee via a company registered with the Saudi Embassy, such as Saudi Able Link. Check with your embassy or visa agency if you need to pay a health insurance fee as well.
What Details are needed for the Enjaz Application Form?
After uploading the photo, the first two sections will ask for details such as:
- Name
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Passport Number and Date of Expiry of the Passport
- Marital Status
- Religion
- Employment Details
- Qualifications
The next two sections will ask you to enter details about your sponsor, invitation letter and specific reasons for travelling to KSA. This includes:
- Name and address of the sponsor
- Visa number of the sponsor
- Phone number
- Consulate of your visa location
- Authorised number of entries
- Type of visa
- How you are entering KSA
- Port of entry
- Purpose of visit
Note that there may be times when your invitation letter and the details in it will be in Arabic. You might need the support of someone fluent with the language to fill out the information from the letter on the application form.
Who Qualifies for the Saudi Arabia Enjaz Application?
Applicants from eligible countries (apart from Hajj visa applicants) need to follow the Enjaz procedure. Tourists from certain countries that are not eligible also need to apply for a visa through the Saudi embassy. Here are some of the eligibility criteria:
- Applicants should be above 18 years of age or accompanied by an adult guardian
- A passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months after your visit to the KSA
- Any additional requirements needed by the applicable Saudi Embassy
Which Countries are Exempt from the Enjaz Application?
According to the new laws enforced in 2019, there are 51 countries from where people can obtain eVisas for Saudi tourism or religious purposes, through prior online application or upon arrival. But, for other kinds of visa applications, citizens of all countries need to register through the Enjaz portal.
How to Check Enjazit Visa Status Online?
- Go to https://enjazit.com.sa/
- In the “Query” section, go to “Searching For” and choose “Applied Application” or “Visa using the Application Number”
- Enter your visa application number
- Provide your passport number
- Enter the randomly generated code and click on “Search.”
On the next page you will be able to see your Enjazit visa stamping status. If the page shows all visa details, your visa has been issued. If an error message is seen, it means your visa is yet to be approved.
You can also check for the application status through this method:
- Go to https://enjazit.com.sa/VisaPerson/GetApplicantData
- Enter your details, such as current nationality, passport number, visa type and arrival destination
- Enter the random image code
- Click on “Perform the Search.”
How Long Does It Take to Get Saudi Arabia Visa Approval?
The processing and approval time for a visa depends on the type of visa you have applied for. A lot also depends on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London or elsewhere in question as well, and the extent to which your documents are in order. For instance, employment visas can take 1-3 weeks for approval, but the standard processing time for a tourist e-Visa is up to 5 business days.
