FACT CHECK: Saudi Arabia Did Not Suspend Visa-on-Arrival for Nigerians
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
A viral Facebook post claiming that Saudi Arabia has suspended its visa-on-arrival policy for citizens of Nigeria and 13 other countries misrepresents the Kingdom’s current visa regulations.
The claim has gained traction on social media, with many users interpreting it to mean that Nigerians and citizens of the affected countries can no longer obtain visas on arrival under any circumstance.
However, available evidence shows that Saudi Arabia has not abolished its visa-on-arrival program. Instead, the Kingdom permanently replaced one-year multiple-entry visit visas with a single-entry visit visa for nationals of 14 countries as part of immigration reforms introduced to curb the misuse of visit visas for unauthorized Hajj participation.
The affected countries are Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen.
FACT CHECK: Saudi Arabia Did Not Suspend Visa-on-Arrival for Nigerians
Under the revised policy, citizens of these countries seeking tourism, business or family visit visas are eligible only for single-entry visas valid for up to 30 days, with no extension. The restriction does not apply to Hajj, Umrah, diplomatic or residency visas.
Saudi Arabia also continues to operate its visa-on-arrival and eVisa programs for eligible travelers from more than 60 countries under its Vision 2030 tourism strategy.
In addition, travelers who qualify under existing exceptions, such as holders of valid United States, United Kingdom or Schengen visas may still be eligible for visa-on-arrival, subject to Saudi immigration requirements.
Fact Check shows that the Facebook post is misleading because it suggests Saudi Arabia has completely suspended visa-on-arrival privileges for citizens of Nigeria and the other 13 countries.
In reality, the Kingdom has tightened its visit visa policy by replacing multiple-entry visit visas with single-entry permits for those nationalities, while its broader visa-on-arrival framework remains in place for eligible travelers and recognized exceptions.
