Visa-free travel with Saudi Arabia is coming soon

Good news from the East: at the Russian-Saudi Business Forum in Saudi Arabia, the countries concluded an intergovernmental agreement on the mutual abolition of visa requirements for holders of all types of passports. This means that soon tourists from both countries will be able to enter Saudi Arabia and Russia for 90 days within one calendar year. Only a valid international passport will be required to cross the border.

The visa-free regime has not yet come into effect: the agreement will enter into force 60 days after the date of receipt, through official channels, of the last notification of the countries' readiness to introduce visa-free travel. However, according to forecasts, it will be possible to travel to Riyadh without additional paperwork as early as the beginning of 2026. The use of the visa-free regime in Saudi Arabia will not grant the right to temporary or permanent residence, employment, or education.

There are already direct flights to Riyadh – operated by Flynas (from Vnukovo) and Saudi Arabian Airlines (from Sheremetyevo). Travel time is about 6 hours. Even more options – with a layover in Dubai. It is expected that after the visa-free regime comes into effect, direct air travel will develop more actively, and tourist traffic to both countries will increase.  

Saudi Arabia offers travelers a variety of destinations: from the capital Riyadh and the port city of Jeddah to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Popular cities also include Dammam and Al-Khobar on the coast. Riyadh impresses with a combination of futuristic buildings and historical monuments, while Jeddah, a major seaport on the Red Sea, is valued for its beach holidays and diving.

And in brief: Russia has abolished visas for Chinese citizens until September 14, 2026. This was done in response to the introduction of visa-free entry for Russian citizens to China from September 15, 2025. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has already stated that such mutual visa abolition will positively affect cooperation between the countries. And we declare that this is an excellent reason to plan a trip to the Celestial Empire and already now buy tickets to Beijing on Kupi.com (or fly to relax in Hainan)!