Visas

U.S. Visa Services

Visit the United States

Notice

The United States Mission to Saudi Arabia has resumed immigrant visa and nonimmigrant visa processing for all categories. Travelers can schedule appointments for the range of visa categories on-line.

More Visa Information

The Consular Sections of the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran are responsible for providing visa services to those seeking to enter the United States for a temporary period and for those wishing to take up indefinite or permanent residence in the United States.

Immigrant Visa to the United States for citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia are only processed at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. Non-immigrant Visa to the United States for citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and at the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran.

Please visit our Global Support Services (GSS) website for complete information on applying for a nonimmigrant U.S. visa, including a directory of nonimmigrant visa categories.

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What is a Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Visa section of this website is about U.S. visas for foreign citizens and nationals to travel to the United States.

Visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.

Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.

What Type of Visa Do You Need?

For short-term visits to the United States (for tourism, business, education, and more), you can go directly to the online application (form DS-160). For immigrant visas, which are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, you can visit the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services site for the relevant forms.  If you are unsure what type of visa you need, please use the Visa Wizard below. 

Additional Information

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers Rights and Protections for Visa Applicants Interview Waiver Diplomats/Government Officials (A Visas) International Organizations (G visas)

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers

This pamphlet informs you of your legal rights in the United States as a nonimmigrant visa holder in certain employment- and education-based categories.

Temporary Workers Rights & Protections Info

Rights and Protections for Visa Applicants

This pamphlet informs applicants applying for K-1 visas, K-3, IR-1/CR-1 immigrant visas, and F2A immigrant visas of their legal rights in the United States relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Visa Applicants Rights & Protections Info

Interview Waiver

All applicants require an interview appointment, except applicants applying for an official (A or G) visa and those who qualify for the interview waiver program.

More Interview Waiver Information

Diplomats/Government Officials (A Visas)

Foreign officials who are traveling to the United States on official business must meet specific requirements to qualify for a diplomatic (A) visa under immigration law and obtain an A visa prior to their entry. For an A-1 or A-2 visa, you must be traveling to the U.S on behalf of your national government to engage solely in official activities for that government. You cannot travel on a tourist visa.

The fact that there may be government interest or control in a given organization is not in itself the defining factor in determining if you qualify for an A visa; the particular duties or services that will be performed must be governmental in character or nature. Government officials traveling to the U.S. to perform non-governmental functions of a commercial nature, or traveling as tourists, require the appropriate visa, and do not qualify for A visas.

Required Documents & Application Procedures

International Organizations (G visas)

To qualify for a G visa for work with an international organization, the individual must be entering the United States in pursuance of official duties.

G1 – Members of a permanent mission of a recognized government to an international organization
G2 – Representatives of a recognized government traveling to the United States temporarily to attend meetings of a designated international organization
G3 – Representatives of non-recognized or non-member governments
G4 – Personnel proceeding to the United States to take up an appointment at a designated international organization, including the United Nations

Required Documents & Application Procedures