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Nationals of every country apart from the GCC states need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia, and for any non-Muslim it is almost impossible to obtain an entry visa unless they have a confirmed job offer or family members already living and working in the country. In addition to a visa, anyone entering Saudi Arabia is required to have a passport with at least six months' remaining validity, a return air ticket, and a Saudi Arabian sponsor, which is usually the employer or the family member working in the country. People entering Saudi Arabia to work must be at least 22 years of age.

The procedure for obtaining an employment visa to enter Saudi Arabia is as follows. First, the company offering you a job has to apply for your visa from the Ministry of Interior in Jeddah. On approval of this application, a visa number is sent to the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in your home country. You are then required to undergo a medical examination, including an HIV-Aids test (the result of which must be negative for your visa to be approved), and to submit a visa application to the Embassy or Consulate in your home country or country of current residence.

Along with your visa application form, which is obtainable from the Embassy, you are required to submit:

- A valid passport
- A passport-sized photograph
- Your medical report certified by a specialist 'visa medical' clinic and submitted along with two photographs
- A certified and notarized copy of your university degree or diploma (the consulate will provide notary services for a fee)
- A copy of your signed contract of employment, in Arabic
- A letter from your Saudi Arabian sponsor, in Arabic, which has been certified by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce, and which shows the block visa number and date of issue
- A release letter if you have previously worked in Saudi Arabia
- A police clearance report
- The relevant visa fee, details of which can be obtained from the Embassy or consulate
- A copy of the Visa Payment slip, from your employer