How to Get Mofa Family Visit Visa Saudi Arabia: 2021 Updates

This article has been written with direct inputs from Pakistani citizen Sahil Khan who has been working and living in Saudi Arabia since 2015. His wife and daughter got the Saudi Family Visit Visa and visited him in Saudi Arabia multiple times.

There are many types of Saudi visas. A family Visit Visa or Mofa Family Visit Visa can be issued to an immediate family member of the legal residents or citizens of KSA. This is specifically meant for family members to be able to visit KSA and stay or spend time with their family.

There are two types of Mofa Family Visit Visa.

Number of Entries	Duration	Validity
Single	30 days	3 months
Multiple	90 days	1 year

Who can Get MOFA Family Visa Visa for Saudi Arabia?

A family visit visa is issued to immediate family members only. So if you are a legal Saudi resident or citizen, only the following people are eligible for a family visit visa.

1. Parents
2. Children
3. Father-in-law and mother-in-law
4. Husband or wife
5. Brothers/Sisters of foreign wives/husbands married to Saudis

This means the following family members can’t get a Mofa family visit visa.

1. Cousins
2. Uncle/aunt
3. Nieces/nephews
4. Grand parents

If you ask me, grand parents should be considered immediate family members, but I digress. Maybe some day, that will change.

This article is written from the point of view of a legal resident of Saudi Arabia. The process is same if you are a citizen. The only difference will be that you would be filling in everything in Arabic and you won’t need an Iqama.

How to Apply Mofa Family Visit Visa?

A Saudi Family visit visa application is a process that involves separate processes for the family member living in Saudi Arabia and the applicant who is outside Saudi Arabia.

In order to get the family visit visa, an Iqama holder has to initiate the process in Saudi Arabia. The Iqama holder’s dependents cannot themselves apply for a visit visa application using their own Iqamas. 

1. Apply For Family Visit Visa at MOFA Online

The resident Iqama holder has to submit an application for the family visit visa on behalf of the visitor. For this, the Iqama should be valid for at least 4 months.

In order to apply for Saudi family visit visa, the very first step would be to start the process on the official visa services platform.

On Visa Services Platform

Choose Individuals, and select your category. Note that if you select citizen, you would need to fill in the whole application in Arabic.

Select Resident and then click on the “Family Visit Visa Application for Residents”.

You will be forwarded to the application page. Click on “I agree”.

Enter Iqama Holder’s Residency Number (Iqama Number). You can apply for multiple visitors by adding different visitors in the same application

You need to fill in the personal details and visa details such as

• Visa Type: Single or Multiple Entry
• Border Number (Handwritten Number on Passport Stamped Pages)
• Sponsor Details: Address, City, Email and Mobile 
• Visitor info: DOB, Passport number, Nationality, Religion
• Relationship with Visitor

2. Get Approval from Sponsor/The Chamber of Commerce

Once the Saudi legal resident/Iqama holder has printed out the  MOFA online visit visa application form, he/she can take it to the sponsor to sign and stamp the document.

The Saudi Chamber of Commerce can also attest the MOFA application form if required for private company workers.

3. Send Completed Form/Visa Number to Visitor

Once signed and stamped by the sponsor, usually it takes a week or less for the status to be reflected in the MOFA portal. You can check the status of the MOFA visa application using the application number and your ID number.

If the visa application has been granted, you can send the scanned copy of the completed, signed, and stamped application form to your family member applying for the Family Visit Visa outside Saudi Arabia.

4. Register & Pay for Family Visit Visa at the Enjazat Website

Now is the time for your family member to create an account at the Enjazat website.

Once you create it, you will get an email to activate it. Make sure to check the Spam folder.

On the  Enjazat Website you would need to search for the application using the application number and your passport number.

You can pay using a Vis/Master credit card.

5. Submits Documents to Saudi Embassy/Visa Agency

Depending on where you are, you might be able to get the visa along with your passport by mail or in person. Usually, a family visit visa can take up to 3 days or more depending on each individual case.

Note that Saudi Arabia has a list of approved agencies all over the world to apply for a visa. Don’t get fooled by some neighbourhood agency and lose your hard-earned money. If you can’t find an approved agency, write to the Saudi consulate in your country and ask them about it.

Requirements for Saudi Family Visit Visa from the Applicant

• Copy of sponsor Iqama holder’s passport
• Valid International Passport (Minimum 7 months validity remaining) for the applicant
• Copy of the Iqama or residency permit for the sponsor
• 4 passport size photos
• Apostilled copy of National ID card of the applicant 

If applying for in-laws

• Apostilled marriage certificate for the sponsor
• Apostilled copy of birth certificate of son/daughter  
• Family Book If Necessary

This is a sample Saudi visa for family visit.

How much Does a Saudi Family Visit Visa Cost?

The cost of Single Entry and Multiple Entry KSA Family Visit Visas are fixed at 300SR.

How to Check Your Family Visit Visa Status Online?

Visit the MOFA SA website: https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/

Scroll down and enter the application number and ID number to inquire the status of your visa application.

In the next page, you will be able to see whether it is approved. If it is under process or rejected, you will see a red line text in Arabic. Once the visa is approved, you will be able to see the following information on a new page.

You will see the visa duration, application details and visa number.

Can You Extend Family Visit Visa for Saudi Arabia?

Yes, it is possible to extend Family visit visa for KSA.

A single entry family visa can be extended 5 times, for a total stay in Saudi Arabia for 180 days. A multiple entry visa can be extended for 90 days. Note that you can get only 180 days at a time. After that you need to leave the KSA and re-enter.

For this, you need to apply through the Absher portal. But chances are there that the extension through the portal wouldn’t work or you will get error messages.

In that case you need to visit one of the Jawazat offices in Dammam or Jeddah or the one closest to you, with the required documents such as

• A copy of your passport bio page and Iqama
• A copy of your wife/husband’s passport bio page and visa
• A printout of Saudi family visa extension application in Absher
• Printout of the error messages in Absher

You would need to carry a copy of the Jawazat appointment. No need to have same day appointment. You just need appointment to enter into building.

Do You Need Health Insurance for KSA Family Visit Visa?

Whether it is a single entry or multiple entry Saudi family visit visa, you do need to have insurance. Now, you can’t get this insurance from wherever you want.

The ministry of the Interior authorizes a very limited number of insurance companies to sell health insurance for a Family Visit Visa.

• BUPA Arabia
• Al Rajhi Insurance
• Arabian Shield
• AXA Cooperative
• Allied Cooperative
• Saudi United Cooperative
• Tawuniya

Cost

The insurance cost varies as per the sex, age and medical background of the visitor applicant. Right now, the prices are between 30 SR and 100 SR.

What Does a Family Insurance Cover?

The family insurance covers covers treatment for emergency cases. You can use it in the case of emergencies, traffic accidents, repatriation after death, dialysis, problems of pregnancy etc.

For cases of hospitalization, room, doctor and nursing services, and life support, the policy limi is set to 600 SR per day.

It doesn’t cover medication and drugs, and childbirth without complications.

How to Apply for Saudi Family Visit Visa Insurance?

Compare the policies of different insurance companies, and when you are ready with one, then enter the visa details and other relevant personal details of the applicant and pay the fees.

If later you want to extend the coverage for a Multiple Entry Family Visit Visa , you can log in to the same Insurance company portal and extend it.

How to Check the Validity of the Family Visit Visa Policy?

Head over to the CCHI website, to check the validity of your Family Visit Visa policy.

1. Choose Inquire About Visitor Insurance
2. Then click Service Link
3. Enter Visitor Passport Number & Captcha Code

KSA Family Visit Visa Rejection Reasons

A Saudi family visit visa might be rejected for various reasons such as

1. The applicant’s profession has no entitlement. Make sure that your job title appears on the MOFA list of professions that are entitled to get visas. If you are not, only your sponsor can change it.
2. Writing Atheists as your religion when filling in the application.
3. Making mistakes with application details