Visas to be made available to World Cup travelers

IMPACT – MEDIUM

The Saudi Arabian government has announced that it will allow foreign nationals traveling for the 2022 World Cup to apply for short-term visas to enter Saudi Arabia.

Key Points:

• Foreign nationals who hold a Hayya Card to enter Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will be allowed to apply for a short-term visa to stay in Saudi Arabia for up to 60 days.
• Short-term visa holders will be able to enter Saudi Arabia beginning ten days before the start of the 2022 World Cup. They will be able to enter and exit the country while their visa is valid.
• Individuals will not be required to travel to Qatar before arriving in Saudi Arabia on the short-term visa; however, they must obtain medical insurance covering their period of stay.

Additional Information: Beginning Nov. 1, foreign nationals must have a Hayya Card, or special identification card, to enter Qatar. In order to obtain a Hayya Card, applicants will need to show that they have tickets for a World Cup match between Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 and accommodations for their time in Qatar.

BAL Analysis: Foreign nationals who hold a Hayya Card and are traveling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will be able to apply for short-term visas to enter Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities are expected to provide application instructions for the short-term visa in the coming months.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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