🕋 Saudi Arabia

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 47% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Eligibility for the official tourist e-visa is limited to the nationalities named on Saudi Arabia's list, so use the official visa portal to confirm eligibility for your passport. Each Umrah requires a permit and booked services via the Nusuk platform. Before paying anyone, read the rules for pilgrims issued by your own government and see the Nusuk site. The official Hajj quota system is the only route to Hajj, and a tourist or Umrah visa never serves for it. Cheap 'packages' and unlicensed agents call for care.

Saudi Unified National Visa Platform OfficialOfficial tourist e-visa: eligibility and application.
Nusuk - Umrah and Hajj platform OfficialOfficial platform for Umrah permits and services.
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Saudi Arabia) OfficialOfficial rules for Umrah and Hajj.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs - visas OfficialVisa types and requirements.
Visit Saudi OfficialOfficial tourism site.

Culture and laws - take note

The country follows Islamic law. Pork and alcohol are banned, and very severe penalties apply to illegal drugs. In public, dress modestly by covering shoulders and knees, with loose clothing for men and women alike; visitors face relaxed headscarf rules, though modest dress is still expected. Showing affection in public is not accepted. Unmarried couples are bound by the rules on hotel stays, so ask your hotel. Strangers (especially women), government buildings and military sites should not be photographed without permission. For the five daily prayers, shops, offices and restaurants may shut briefly, and the main day of prayer is Friday. Throughout Ramadan, eating, drinking or smoking in public during the daytime is not allowed. Makkah, and the central area of Madinah, are closed to non-Muslims. While on Umrah, follow your group's guide and the official programme, and keep your permit and passport on you.

Saudi customs (ZATCA) OfficialProhibited and restricted items, including medicines.

Emergency and help

911 is the unified emergency number in most regions. Police 999. Ambulance 997. Civil defence / fire 998.

Local laws and customs

Islamic law, dress and alcohol

UK advice says Islamic law is strictly enforced and some acts that are legal in many other countries can carry serious penalties. Visitors should not bring alcohol in, and drinking or being drunk in public is illegal. Drug offences meet zero tolerance. Sex outside marriage is illegal, including for tourists, and public displays of affection should be avoided. Same-sex relations are illegal, although legal action is uncommon. Men and women must wear loose clothing covering the elbows and reaching below the knee. Public demonstrations are illegal.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Saudi Arabia, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Taxis and scams

Licensed and pre-arranged taxis

Only pre-arranged, licensed taxis or ride-sharing services should be used in Saudi Arabia, and shared or unregistered taxis avoided, says Canadian advice. UK advice adds that driving standards are poor and that serious accidents on the road are common, so visitors should keep to major roads and wear seatbelts.

Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Saudi Arabia (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Saudi Arabia, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Who can help

local government

Ministry of Health Call Center 937

Helps with: The health ministry's call center, listed for medical consultations and receiving reports from inside the Kingdom, 24/7. A separate number is listed for calls from outside the Kingdom.

Who qualifies: Callers inside Saudi Arabia needing medical consultation; the page does not say which languages are offered.

Phone: 937

Email: [email protected]

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Guests Care

Helps with: The ministry that serves pilgrims and visitors for Hajj and Umrah. Its contact page lists phone lines marked 24/7, an email address and several Guests Care Centers in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.

Who qualifies: Pilgrims and visitors served by the ministry; the page sets no further conditions.

Phone: +966 920002814

Email: [email protected]

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Guests Care Center, Al-Musfalah (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah)

Helps with: A Guests Care Center of the Hajj and Umrah ministry in Makkah, open 8 AM to 10 PM. The phone is the ministry's central line (24/7); inside the Kingdom you can also call 1966.

Who qualifies: Pilgrims and visitors served by the ministry; the page does not state who may use the center.

Phone: +966 920002814

Email: [email protected]

Address: Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street, Al-Musfalah, Mecca

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Guests Care Center, east of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah)

Helps with: A Guests Care Center of the Hajj and Umrah ministry, east of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah. The phone is the ministry's central line (24/7); inside the Kingdom you can also call 1966.

Who qualifies: Pilgrims and visitors served by the ministry; the page does not state who may use the center.

Phone: +966 920002814

Email: [email protected]

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)

Helps with: Reaches police, ambulance and fire services. UK government travel advice lists this number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 911

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Emergency number 112 for phones without a Saudi SIM

Helps with: Emergency number for callers without a Saudi SIM card. UK government travel advice says to call 112 in that case.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 112

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Saudi Red Crescent Authority

Helps with: The contact page lists 997 as the ambulance number and a beneficiary services call centre. It also offers first aid training through its Ambassador of Life programme.

Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. It gives a public contact form and the phone numbers listed.

Phone: 00966112805555

Email: [email protected]

Address: PO Box 11129, Riyadh

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04