Overseas Pakistanis left in a bind as Saudi Arabia tightens E-Transit VISA RULES

Saudi Arabia has updated its electronic transit visa policy, causing concern among overseas Pakistanis and other global travelers, as the Kingdom has now restricted eligibility to passengers traveling to or from 18 specific countries, dubbed “Group A.”

According to reports by Cairo 24, the revised e-stopover visa—which allows a short stay of up to 96 hours in Saudi Arabia—will now be granted only to travelers whose journey either starts from or ends in one of the designated countries. The move, officials say, is aimed at streamlining the visa process and giving priority to passengers with “predictable” travel routes.

So, who’s in Group A?

The lucky 18 include:

Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Malaysia, the Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and Mauritius.

That means passengers flying from or to countries outside this list—including Pakistan—are now ineligible for the e-transit visa, even if they're only transiting through Saudi Arabia.

A source quoted by Cairo 24 noted that the policy is “strictly limited” to travelers who either originate from or are bound for one of the Group A countries. On top of that, applicants must already hold a valid visa for at least one of these countries and must have previously used it to enter that destination. This, according to national carrier Saudia, is to “ensure credibility and compliance.”

The e-stopover visa has been a popular option, particularly among those wanting to perform Umrah or visit key cities like Jeddah and Madinah during transit. But the new policy now makes that a lot harder for overseas Pakistanis, especially those residing in non-Group A nations or flying between third countries.

With the Umrah season approaching and many Pakistanis relying on Saudi transit routes to reach other destinations, the policy shift has thrown travel plans into disarray.

For now, travelers are urged to double-check visa eligibility before booking flights through Saudi Arabia—because the Kingdom’s stopover privileges just got a whole lot more exclusive.