This page is for people who live in Saudi Arabia, citizens and iqama holders alike, and apply for visas to other countries from here. Our city guides cover Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Al Khobar in detail. Here we take the wider view: how the Kingdom is divided between the embassies in Riyadh and the consulates in Jeddah, what that means if you live in Abha, Tabuk, Buraidah, Hail, Jazan or Al Ahsa, what two official checklists actually say about flights and iqama validity, and which of the Kingdom's international airports your reservation can start from. We sell online only, with no branch anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia at a glance
| Item | For a resident of the Kingdom (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| International airports | Listed by the Ministry of Media's Saudipedia, from RUH, JED and DMM to Abha, Tabuk, Qassim, Hail, Jazan, AlUla and Red Sea International[11] |
| Germany | Embassy Riyadh: Riyadh, Qassim, Eastern Province, Hail, Northern Borders, Jouf. Consulate General Jeddah: Makkah, Madinah, Tabuk, Baha, Asir, Najran, Jazan[1][2] |
| Italy | Consulate General Jeddah: Makkah, Baha, Asir, Jazan, Najran, Madinah, Northern Region, Qurayyat; application centres in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam[4] |
| Netherlands | VFS Global in Al Khobar, Dhahran, Jeddah or Riyadh, only for people who live in the Kingdom[5] |
| United States | No routine visa interviews in the Kingdom for now[8] |
| Iqama rule we see most | Valid at least 3 months after your return (Germany, Italy); Austria asks for 3 months plus 15 days[3][4][7] |
| Our price | SAR 34 per passenger, single or return, paid by card online |
Which mission covers your region?
It depends on the country, because each one draws its own line across the Kingdom. Germany and Italy publish theirs, and they are close but not identical.
| Where you live | German mission | Italian post | Nearest major visa centres | Typical departure airports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh region | Embassy Riyadh[1] | Riyadh (not on Jeddah's list)[4] | Riyadh | RUH |
| Makkah region (Jeddah, Makkah, Taif) | Consulate General Jeddah[2] | Consulate General Jeddah[4] | Jeddah | JED, Taif |
| Madinah region | Consulate General Jeddah[2] | Consulate General Jeddah[4] | Jeddah | MED, Yanbu, AlUla |
| Asir, Baha, Jazan, Najran | Consulate General Jeddah[2] | Consulate General Jeddah[4] | Jeddah | Abha, Jazan, Najran |
| Tabuk | Consulate General Jeddah[2] | Not named on Jeddah's list; ask the embassy | Jeddah or Riyadh | Tabuk, NEOM |
| Eastern Province (Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Jubail) | Embassy Riyadh[1] | Riyadh (not on Jeddah's list)[4] | Al Khobar, Dhahran, Dammam | DMM, Al Ahsa, Qaisumah |
| Qassim, Hail | Embassy Riyadh[1] | Riyadh (not on Jeddah's list)[4] | Riyadh | Qassim, Hail |
| Northern Borders, Jouf, Qurayyat | Embassy Riyadh[1] | Consulate General Jeddah lists "Northern Region and Qurayyat"[4] | Riyadh | Al Jouf, Qaisumah |
The two places where they disagree are the north and Tabuk. For Germany, the Northern Borders and Jouf belong to Riyadh while Tabuk belongs to Jeddah.[1][2] Italy's Jeddah consulate, by contrast, names the Northern Region and Qurayyat but does not name Tabuk.[4] If you live in Tabuk, Arar, Sakaka or Qurayyat, confirm with the specific mission before booking anything.
What does the German checklist say about flights and iqama?
The German visit visa checklist used in the Kingdom wants a copy of a "round trip airline reservation" that shows who is travelling and the whole itinerary, for a stay of no more than 90 days.[3] A held reservation with both directions and every traveller's name fits that wording.
Two residence items sit on the same list. Germany wants the iqama to outlast your return by a minimum of three months, and you need an official excerpt of your electronic exit and re-entry visa from Absher or Muqeem showing the exact exit and return deadlines.[3] In practice, your flight dates have to fit inside both. A reservation returning after the re-entry deadline undermines the whole file.
Austria's list is stricter, and here is why it matters
The Austria checklist hosted by VFS for Saudi Arabia wants a confirmed reservation that includes the way back, issued and printed from the airline's own website, with the words "no travel agency booking" in brackets.[7] That is the strictest flight wording we found for applicants in the Kingdom.
We will be straight with you. The airline does hold our booking under a genuine PNR, viewable on its site, yet we are the ones who make it; you did not book it yourself on the airline's site. If you are applying to Austria, that wording may not be satisfied by our document, and a refundable fare you book yourself on the carrier's website is the safer route. The same Austrian list wants a residence permit valid three months plus 15 days after you leave the Schengen area, and a copy of the exit and re-entry visa printed through Absher in English.[7] The PDF carries no date and still mentions COVID-19 cover, so check the current version at the centre.
The Netherlands: reservation in your name, four centres
At the other end of the scale, the Netherlands is relaxed. Applications go to VFS Global in Al Khobar, Dhahran, Jeddah or Riyadh, but only if you live in Saudi Arabia.[5] On flights, the Dutch tourism checklist is satisfied by a booking in your name and does not require you to have paid.[6] For someone in Abha or Jazan, that means a trip to Jeddah for the appointment, since there is no Dutch centre in the south.[5]
Appointment in Riyadh, Jeddah or the Eastern Province?
SAR 34 a head by card; delivery usually takes around ten minutes.
How do the checklists compare?
| Country | Flight wording for applicants in Saudi Arabia | Residence condition | Does a held reservation fit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | A "round trip airline reservation" with full itinerary[3] | Three months of iqama after return; Absher or Muqeem re-entry excerpt[3] | Yes, with both legs |
| Austria | "Confirmed flight reservation" printed from the airline's website, no agency booking[7] | Permit 3 months + 15 days past departure; re-entry printout[7] | May not; consider a refundable fare |
| Italy | Category lists via the application centre[4] | Iqama 3 months past return[4] | Check the centre's list |
| Netherlands | Booking in your name; payment not needed[6] | Must live in Saudi Arabia[5] | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Flight bookings rated unhelpful unless transiting[9] | Per your category | Usually unnecessary |
| United States | No routine processing in the Kingdom now[8] | Apply where you can get an appointment | Not needed |
Which Saudi airport goes on the reservation?
Your genuine point of departure. The Ministry of Media's Saudipedia lists the Kingdom's international airports as King Khalid (Riyadh), King Abdulaziz (Jeddah), King Fahd (Dammam), Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz (Madinah), Taif, Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz (AlUla), Abha, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz (Qassim), Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz (Tabuk), Al Jouf, Al Ahsa, NEOM, Hail, Al Qaisumah, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz (Jazan), Prince Abdulmohsin bin Abdulaziz (Yanbu), Najran and Red Sea International, plus King Salman International in Riyadh, announced in 2022.[11]
Long-haul choice is greatest from RUH, JED and DMM, so many people in smaller cities fly to one of those first. That is fine on a reservation as long as it reflects the plan. Regional airports are gaining direct international links too: flynas, which already had bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah and Abha, added Qassim as a sixth base in July 2026 with routes to Istanbul, Trabzon and Cairo.[12] A Buraidah family heading to Europe could reasonably show Qassim to Istanbul and onward, if that is what they intend to fly.
Living in Makkah, Madinah or Taif
For Germany and Italy, all three cities fall under the consulates general in Jeddah.[2][4] The nearest Dutch and Italian application centres are also in Jeddah.[4][5] Madinah residents have their own international airport, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz, and Taif has one as well,[11] but long-haul choice from Jeddah is wider. Either is fine on a reservation; just keep the cover letter and the booking telling the same story.
Living in Abha, Jazan or Najran
The south looks to Jeddah. Asir, Jazan and Najran are all in the Jeddah consulates' districts for Germany and Italy.[2][4] Abha, Jazan and Najran each have an international airport,[11] and Abha is a flynas base.[12] Factor in a domestic flight to Jeddah for the appointment, and keep that hop out of the visa reservation.
Example: a teacher in Abha applying for Germany
Say Rizwan, a Pakistani teacher at a school in Abha, plans a two-week trip to Munich in the winter break. Asir is in the German Consulate General Jeddah's district.[2] His iqama expires in October next year and the school has issued an exit and re-entry visa covering 18 December to 8 January.
The German list wants the iqama valid three months beyond his return and the re-entry excerpt with exact dates.[3] Both pass. Three days before his Jeddah appointment, he orders a round-trip reservation: Abha to Munich via Jeddah on 20 December, back on 4 January. That sits inside the re-entry window with days to spare. Our guide for Pakistani travellers covers the passport side.
A second example: a Buraidah family and an Italian holiday
Now a Saudi family of five in Buraidah planning ten days in Rome and Florence in spring. Qassim is not on the Italian Jeddah consulate's list, so their file belongs with the Italian embassy in Riyadh, and there is an application centre in that city.[4] They intend to fly Qassim to Istanbul on flynas and connect to Rome.[12]
They follow the list the Italian centre gives them. If it accepts a reservation, one booking with all five names, ordered in the week of the appointment, does the job. If it asks for anything firmer, they buy refundable fares instead.
How do you order from anywhere in Saudi Arabia?
- Find your mission in the region table and download that country's current checklist.
- Check your iqama and exit and re-entry dates against the trip.
- Enter the route on our booking page, starting from the airport you will really use.
- Add each traveller exactly as written in the passport.
- Pay SAR 34 for each person with a debit or credit card; Razorpay handles checkout.
- Expect our email around ten minutes after paying, then open the PNR on the airline's site with our walkthrough.
Orders can be followed through tracking. Rates for other countries sit on our price page, and hotel reservations are there for lists that want accommodation.
How far ahead should a resident of the Kingdom order?
Close to the appointment date rather than on the day you secure the slot. The airline holds the seat for up to 2 weeks and chooses the precise length itself, so it may be shorter. The EU says Schengen files can go in up to six months early and at least 15 days before travel, and that a decision usually takes 15 days but can stretch to 45.[13] Should the mission come back weeks later wanting up-to-date travel details, a replacement is the honest answer.
Mistakes we see from across the Kingdom
- Booking Riyadh when your region belongs to Jeddah, or the reverse, for Germany or Italy.
- A return date after the re-entry deadline on your Absher printout.
- An iqama that runs out within three months of the return.
- Using our reservation for Austria when its list insists on a booking made on the airline's own website.
- Putting the domestic hop to the appointment on the visa reservation.
Saudi Arabia FAQ
Do you have an office in Saudi Arabia?
No. We are an online service with no branch in Riyadh, Jeddah, the Eastern Province or anywhere else in the Kingdom. You choose the route, enter the passengers and pay SAR 34 each by card. The reservation reaches you by email, normally within about ten minutes, and you print it wherever is convenient.
I live in Abha. Which German mission handles my visa?
The Consulate General in Jeddah. Germany assigns Tabuk, Madinah, Makkah, Baha, Asir, Najran and Jazan to Jeddah, and Riyadh, Qassim, the Eastern Province, Hail, the Northern Borders and Jouf to the embassy in Riyadh. Book through the German missions' appointment system for the correct office.
How long must my iqama be valid?
Germany and Italy ask for at least three months beyond your planned return. Austria's VFS checklist asks for three months plus 15 days beyond your departure from the Schengen area. Other countries publish their own rules, so take the strictest figure that applies to your destination and renew first if you are close.
Is your reservation enough for an Austrian visa?
Possibly not. The Austria checklist used in Saudi Arabia asks for a confirmed reservation printed from the airline's official website and excludes travel agency bookings. Our booking is held by the airline and can be checked there, but we make it for you. For Austria, buying a refundable seat straight from the carrier protects you better.
Can I start the reservation from Qassim, Abha or Tabuk?
Yes, if that is where you will fly from. All three are listed among the Kingdom's international airports. If you will drive or fly to Riyadh or Jeddah first and leave from there, start the reservation at that airport and mention it in your cover letter.
Can I get a US visa interview in Saudi Arabia?
Not for routine visas at the moment; the US mission says routine processing is unavailable in the Kingdom and suggests applying where you hold residence or nationality elsewhere. A flight booking is not needed for a US interview anyway.
For how many days is the hold good?
Fourteen at most, and fewer on some carriers, because the airline rather than us sets the hold. Order during the week of your appointment and reopen the PNR online before the file goes in. If the appointment moves, order a fresh one nearer the new date.
Order from anywhere in the Kingdom
SAR 34 each, ordered online, and checkable on the carrier's website.
Please remember: a reservation helps the officer see your dates; it does not grant a visa. Call it a reservation, keep it inside your iqama and re-entry dates, and follow the mission's own list.
City guides in the Kingdom: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Al Khobar; across the causeway, Manama. Destination guides: Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Schengen, UK and USA. Expat guides: Gulf-based Indians, Pakistani, Filipino, Bangladeshi and Egyptian travellers. Visiting the Kingdom instead? See the Saudi visa guide and Saudia reservations. Basics: home, visa flight reservations, country rules and onward tickets.
Sources
All sources last checked: October 2026.
- German Missions in Saudi Arabia, About us: Embassy Riyadh consular district.
- German Missions in Saudi Arabia, Consulate General Jeddah.
- German Missions in Saudi Arabia, Checklist for visit visa.
- Consulate General of Italy in Jeddah, Visas.
- Netherlands Worldwide, Applying for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands in Saudi Arabia.
- Netherlands Worldwide, Checklist: Schengen visa for tourism.
- VFS Global for Austria in Saudi Arabia, Austria checklist (PDF, undated).
- U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia, Visas.
- GOV.UK, Guide to supporting documents: visiting the UK.
- GOV.UK, Find a visa application centre.
- Saudipedia (Ministry of Media), International airports in Saudi Arabia.
- Arab Air Carriers' Organization, flynas announces its sixth base, in Al Qassim, from July 2026.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, Applying for a Schengen visa.
