Saudi Arabia visa requirements for Cuban citizens

The competent Saudi embassy or consulate, unless one of the conditions granting access to the eVisa is met

Saudi Arabia opened its tourist eVisa to a closed list of 66 nationalities and Cuba is not on it, so a Cuban passport alone does not open the electronic route. The particularity of the Saudi system is that eligibility does not rest on nationality alone: the official portal also admits holders of a tourist or business visa from the United States, the United Kingdom or the Schengen area, permanent residents of the United States, the European Union or the United Kingdom, and residents of a Gulf Cooperation Council country. A Cuban who fits any of those can apply for the eVisa or the visa on arrival without going through a consulate. One condition is easy to miss: the visa relied on must have been used at least once, with an entry stamp from the issuing country, so a Schengen visa that was granted but never used does not count. Anyone meeting none of those conditions applies for the ordinary visa at the competent Saudi mission.

Authorization system

e-Visa (Saudi eVisa)

Available for more than 66 nationalities. One-year visa, multiple entries, stays of up to 90 days. Fully online process, no need to visit a consulate.

Fee

SAR 402.21

The fee includes mandatory health insurance for the stay (see seguro_medico_obligatorio).

Processing time

The online process is completed in a few minutes; no official maximum processing time has been confirmed.

Required documents

• Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the planned entry date.
• Recent digital passport-style photo.
• Valid email address to receive the visa.
• Meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate (see vacunas_requeridas).

Vaccinations

• Meningitis ACWY (quadrivalent) mandatory since 1 February 2025 for ALL visa types, including the tourist eVisa — not just Hajj/Umrah. Administer at least 10 days before travel; certificate required from age 2; valid for 3 to 5 years depending on the vaccine type.

Health insurance

Mandatory for this destination.

Transit rules

Saudi Arabia has a transit visa for layovers of up to 96 hours, costing SAR 300 and valid for 96 hours from issue; you can pick flights with a connection up to that maximum. It is single-entry — stopping over again means another visa — though there is no limit on how many you may obtain in a year. Requirements: being over 18 unless accompanied by an adult, and a recognised passport, free of restrictions or conditions, valid for at least six months. It is open to the nationalities listed on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal, and some cases call for additional verification documents.

Customs limits

Cash

Any amount may be brought in, but it must be declared if it exceeds 60,000 SAR or its equivalent in another currency.

Alcohol

COMPLETELY PROHIBITED: consumption, possession, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol are all banned. There is no duty-free exemption — even "duty-free" bottles bought at the departure airport will be confiscated, and it can lead to immediate arrest or deportation.

Tobacco

200 cigarettes or 500 g of other tobacco products per traveller over 18, per ZATCA’s official announcement. Exceeding that amount triggers customs duty plus 15% VAT on the whole quantity, not just the excess; the maximum tolerated for personal use is 2 kg of tobacco per person every three months.

Overstay penalties

Staying beyond the validity of a visit visa carries a fine of up to SAR 50,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. Where the person concerned is an expatriate worker, deportation is added on top.

Common reasons for denial

• Not meeting the passport validity required to issue the visa, which the platform sets at 60 days or more.
• Giving personal data that is incomplete, inaccurate or out of date: the platform requires it to be complete, accurate and up to date.
• How refusal works, which is worth knowing: if your application is rejected you are notified and the amount paid is refunded, and you may reapply at any time. In some cases, before deciding, they ask for additional documents by email or a visit to the embassy.