Saudi Arabia entry requirements for travellers from the Philippines
Saudi Arabia hosts one of the largest populations of overseas Filipino workers anywhere, so most travel from the Philippines is either people joining family already there or Filipino Muslims travelling for Umrah. The Philippines is not on the tourist eVisa list, but unlike several other countries in a similar position it is not subject to the single entry restriction introduced in 2025. This guide explains what that means in practice.
Visa requirement summary
Filipino citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia. The Philippines is not among the 66 nationalities eligible for the tourist eVisa, so you cannot apply on the online tourist portal on a Philippine passport alone, and there is no visa on arrival.
Three routes are open.
The first is the tourist eVisa reached through an exception rather than through nationality. Holders of a valid Schengen, United Kingdom or United States visa that has already been used to enter that country, and permanent residents of the EU, UK, US and GCC states, can apply for the visitor eVisa whatever passport they hold. Many Filipino travellers already hold a used US visa, so this is worth checking before assuming the longer route applies. It gives 365 days of validity, multiple entries, up to 90 days of cumulative stay and health cover of up to SAR 100,000.
The second is a visit visa for family or business, requiring a sponsor or inviting party in the Kingdom. For most Filipino travellers this means a relative working in Saudi Arabia on a residence permit. Tourist visas for nationalities outside the eVisa scheme are applied for at a Saudi embassy or consulate.
The third, for Filipino Muslims, is the Umrah visa arranged through the Nusuk platform. Since July 2026 there has been a one year multiple entry Umrah visa, valid for 365 days from issue with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days, requiring a service package from an approved Nusuk provider and an Umrah permit obtained in the Nusuk app before arrival.
One thing works in your favour. In February 2025 Saudi Arabia limited fourteen nationalities to single entry visit visas, and the Philippines was not among them. Filipino travellers are not subject to that restriction, which is a real advantage over several countries with comparable worker populations in the Kingdom.
How long you can stay
If you qualify for the eVisa through a used visa or residence permit, you have 365 days of validity, multiple entries and up to 90 days of cumulative stay across the year. The 90 days is the total of all your visits rather than a fresh allowance on each arrival.
On the one year Umrah visa the terms mirror that, with each visit tied to the service package booked.
On a visit visa the terms are set by Saudi authorities when the visa is issued. The letter of invitation from your sponsor does not decide the validity or the number of entries.
Passport validity requirements
Your Philippine passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date.
Evidence of previous travel to Israel in your passport may result in refused entry.
Proof of funds and financial requirements
Saudi Arabia does not publish a fixed sum for Filipino visitors. On a family visit your sponsor in the Kingdom is central to the application, and their residence and employment status will be part of it. On an Umrah package accommodation and transport are already paid for.
Expect to provide bank statements alongside the invitation on a visit visa application.
Onward or return travel
You should be able to show onward or return travel inside the period your visa allows. A confirmed return ticket is normally enough.
Applying for the visa
Check the eVisa exception first. If you hold a Schengen, UK or US visa that you have already used to enter that country, or permanent residence in the EU, UK, US or a GCC state, you can apply at visa.visitsaudi.com and avoid the embassy route entirely.
For a family visit visa, your relative in Saudi Arabia initiates the invitation and the application is completed through Saudi channels. For a tourist visa, nationalities outside the eVisa scheme apply at a Saudi embassy or consulate.
For Umrah, applications go through the Nusuk platform, and since August 2025 the Nusuk Umrah service has allowed pilgrims to apply for the visa and book accommodation, transport and tours directly rather than only through a licensed agent. Your Umrah permit must be obtained in the Nusuk app before travelling. The one year Umrah visa does not activate during the Hajj season, from the first of Dhu Al Qi’dah to the 13th of Dhu Al Hijjah.
Hajj requires a separate visa through Nusuk Hajj.
If you are travelling to Saudi Arabia to take up employment rather than to visit, none of the above applies. Overseas employment from the Philippines is governed by its own process and documentation, and a visit visa is not a route into work.
Health requirements
Pilgrims travelling for Hajj or Umrah must show proof of quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination covering the ACWY strains.
A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic. A direct flight from the Philippines will not trigger this, but a routing through an affected country can.
Other entry requirements
Alcohol is prohibited and attempting to bring it into the country is a serious offence.
Flights into Jeddah, Madinah and Taif are restricted during the Hajj season, which can affect travellers with no connection to the pilgrimage.
Entry to Mecca is restricted to Muslims, and parts of Medina are similarly restricted.
If your relative holds a Saudi residence permit, their status is unaffected by anything in this guide. These routes concern visitors rather than residents.
FAQs
Can Filipino citizens get a Saudi eVisa?
Not on a Philippine passport alone, because the Philippines is not among the 66 eligible nationalities. You can if you hold a used Schengen, UK or US visa, or permanent residence in the EU, UK, US or a GCC country.
Is the Philippines affected by the single entry restriction?
No. The February 2025 restriction applied to fourteen nationalities and the Philippines was not one of them.
My husband works in Saudi Arabia. How do I visit him?
Through a family visit visa, which he initiates as your sponsor in the Kingdom. The validity and number of entries are decided by Saudi authorities at the point of issue.
Can I look for work on a visit visa?
No. A visit visa does not permit employment. Working in Saudi Arabia requires a separate process and its own documentation.
I have a US visa in my passport. Does it help?
Yes. If it has already been used to enter the United States, you can apply for the Saudi visitor eVisa regardless of nationality, which is faster than the embassy route.
Do I need vaccinations?
Quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY vaccination is required for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Yellow fever applies only if you arrive from an endemic country.
Official sources
Saudi eVisa portal: https://visa.visitsaudi.com/
Visit Saudi visa regulations: https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/plan-your-trip/visa-regulations
Saudi visa portal: https://ksavisa.sa/
Nusuk platform: https://www.nusuk.sa/