No visa needed

Do citizens of the United Arab Emirates need a visa for Saudi Arabia?

Citizens of the United Arab Emirates don’t need a visa for Saudi Arabia. You need a valid passport; border officers may ask for a return ticket and accommodation. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension.

For citizens of the United Arab Emirates: the passport opens 127 countries visa-free; Abu Dhabi — Riyadh: ≈ 780 km, about 1.5 hours of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

At a glance

No visa needed

Can I travel to Saudi Arabia without a visa on a United Arab Emirates passport?

Yes, citizens of the United Arab Emirates don’t need a visa for Saudi Arabia. A valid passport is enough.

Saudi Arabia visa rules at a glance

With a United Arab Emirates passport you can visit 127 countries visa-free, 34 with a visa on arrival and 26 with an e-visa; 11 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the United Arab Emirates passport ranks 2nd of 199.
United Arab Emirates passport: visa-free access to 127 countries; Saudi Arabia passport: 53.
Citizens of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia can travel together visa-free to 52 countries, for example: Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iran, Armenia, Jordan, Palestine, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Turkey.
A language both countries share: Arabic.
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia share a border, so you can also travel overland.
Citizens of Saudi Arabia, in turn, don’t need a visa for the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates visa for citizens of Saudi Arabia

Travelling to Saudi Arabia: good to know

Abu Dhabi — Riyadh: about 780 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 1.5 hours.
Time difference with your country’s capital: −1 hour.
Local time: Abu Dhabi 12:00 — Riyadh 11:00.
Local currency: Saudi Riyal.
Languages: Arabic.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ SAR 3.75.
Saudi Arabia is the 4th closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of the United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates has an embassy in Saudi Arabia — contact it if you lose your passport or need consular help during the trip.