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In 1944, Foreign Service Officer Parker T. Hart was dispatched from the American Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, where he was stationed, to the eastern shores of Saudi Arabia to set up a consulate to take care of American interests in the oil town of Dhahran and the small American community there. He did so on September 2 of that year and worked from an office within Aramco campus and later moved to an office where the old airport is.
Mr. Hart returned to Saudi Arabia in the late 1940’s to oversee construction work of a new consulate. With the blessing of the Kingdom’s founder, King Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud, Mr. Hart selected a site close to where the monarch and his party had set up camp during an earlier visit to the province. This is the same site where the consulate is now located.
The present compound and chancery were built in August 1949, followed by the Consul General’s residence in 1951. The construction workers comprised mostly of Italian POW’s from nearby Eritrea.
From 1944 to 1971, the Consulate General, with responsibilities covering half of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Trucial States (Qatar, UAE and Oman), served mostly as a regional embassy.
George Bush, Sr., then Vice President of the United States, visited the consulate on April 5, 1986 to meet with American and Foreign Service Staff and members of the American community.
As for Mr. Hart, he was promoted to Consul General in 1951, and went on to serve as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Prior to retirement, he also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (NEA). On October 25, 1994, the Consulate celebrated its 50th anniversary and Ambassador Hart was the guest of honor during the dinner that Ambassador Ray Mabus and Consul General David Winn hosted at the Consulate.
Security Notice
Visitors to the U.S. Consulate General must pass through security checkpoints, including walk-through-metal-detectors (WTMD) similar to visiting an airport. It may also be necessary to undergo additional screening, to include hand-held metal detectors and pat-down inspections. Both male and female guards are present. Prior to passing through the WTMD you must remove all metal items, including jewelry, coins, watches and belt buckles. Electronic devices such as mobile phones will not be permitted into the Consulate. Your visit to the Consular Section will be much easier and faster if you leave these items at home or in the car, so that you can proceed through security with the minimum disturbance.
Travel Notice
If you are considering traveling to Bahrain, please consult Embassy Manama.
The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit at the U.S. Consulate General Dhahran provides assistance to U.S. citizens in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
Public hours: Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 – 11:00AM
Tel: +966 (13) 839-5700
Mailing Address:
From Outside the United States:
American Citizen Services
P.O. Box 38955
Dhahran (Doha)
31942, Saudi Arabia
From a United States Post Office:
American Citizen Services
American Consulate General
Unit 66803
APO AE 09858-6803
ACS E-mail Inquiries: DhahranACS@state.gov. This e-mail address is only for ACS inquiries; inquiries regarding visas should be sent to DhahranNIV@state.gov (non-immigrant visas) or DhahranIV@state.gov (immigrant visas).
The American Embassy and Consulates General in Saudi Arabia are closed on Saudi and American National Holidays.
The U.S. Consulate General Dhahran provides Non-Immigrant Visa services to Saudi Arabian citizens and third-country nationals residing in Saudi Arabia. All Saudi citizens and most other nationalities require Non-Immigrant Visas to visit, work, or study in the United States. The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of your travel. Appointments are required for all visa interviews.
The Consulate also provides some limited services related to immigrant visas and legal permanent residents.
Our Locations
The Consulate is located off King Saud bin Abdulaziz Road on the corner of Salah Addin Al Ayoubi Road and Abu l’baba Al Aslami Street.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh provides non-immigrant visa services in the Central region of Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah serves the Western region.
We hope to see you soon and wish you an enjoyable stay in the United States!
Procurement Solicitation Packages
Explore business opportunity available through the Procurement Section of the U.S. Consulate General Dhahran.
In order to obtain the police certificate for immigration purposes, applicants will need to obtain a letter addressed to the Saudi authorities from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or U.S. Consulates General Dhahran or Jeddah.
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Please call: 966-11-835-4000
Outside of Office Hours, contact: 966-11-835-4000
Outside of Saudi Arabia: 966-11-835-4000
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