Turkey offers electronic multiple-entry visa to Saudi nationals

Cairo: Turkey has introduced an electronic multiple-entry visa to Saudi nationals, the Turkish embassy in Riyadh has said as ties are growing between the two countries.

“The embassy announces to the citizens of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the start of applying online to the multiple-entry visa to the Saudi citizens for travelling to Turkey,” the mission said on the X platform.

The visa is valid for tourism and business for 180 days, according to Saudi media reports.

The holder is allowed to enter Turkey several times for a 90-day stay.

Applicants are advised to present the request online for the visa 48 hours before the travel date.

Trade ties

Last month, Saudi Arabia said that Turkey was among six countries whose nationals are allowed to apply to an electronic visa to visit the kingdom. The other countries are Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, and Mauritius.

Trade between Saudi Arabia and Turkey reached nearly 6 billion dollars last year, up 33 per cent against the previous year, a Saudi trade official said in Septmber.

Deputy Governor of the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade Abdelaziz Al Sakran added that efforts exerted by the two countries have resulted in several “effective” partnerships, making the kingdom Turkey’s fourth trade partner in the Middle East.

In recent months, ties have improved between Saudi Arabia and Turkey after years-long strains.

In August, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat met his Saudi counterpart Majid Al Qasabi in India on the sidelines of a meeting of the Group of 20 trade ministers.

In July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia, his second to the kingdom since 2022 to repair ties.

During the July trip, Erdogan met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and a raft of cooperation pacts were signed in the fields of investment, energy and defence, including the purchase of Turkish drones.