An exit re-entry visa is what lets a resident of Saudi Arabia leave the Kingdom and come back on the same Iqama. If you sponsor family members or a domestic worker, you issue it for them on Absher in a few minutes. In practice, most problems come from the checks Absher runs before it lets you issue, not from the form itself. This guide covers those checks, the issuing steps, fees, how to check a visa’s status and how extensions work, including when the traveller is already abroad.
One note on scope: employees sponsored by a company usually get their visa through the employer, often via the Muqeem portal. This guide focuses on heads of household issuing visas on Absher for family members and domestic workers.
Single or multiple: which one do you need?
- Single exit re-entry: one departure and one return within the visa period. It suits a single trip home or a holiday.
- Multiple exit re-entry: any number of trips until the visa ends. It suits people who travel often during the same period, for example to nearby Gulf countries.
Both types are issued for a set duration, or with a specific “return before” date. If you choose a return-before date, that is the last day the person can enter Saudi Arabia on that visa.
Check these before you start
The National Platform (my.gov.sa) lists the conditions Absher applies when issuing the visa. If one of them is not met, the request will not go through:
- The traveller is inside the Kingdom on the day the visa is issued.
- Passport validity: at least 90 days for an exit re-entry visa.
- Iqama validity covers the trip: for a single visa issued by number of months, the Iqama must be valid for at least 90 days plus the duration you enter. The return-before date can be no later than 7 days before the Iqama expires.
- Fingerprint registered: the person must have a registered fingerprint (age thresholds apply).
- Traffic violations settled: for the traveller, the worker and the sponsor.
- Fees paid before you issue.
The Iqama rule catches people out more than anything else. If the Iqama is close to expiry, renew it first, then issue the visa. Trying to fit a long trip into a short Iqama simply won’t work.
How to issue an exit re-entry visa on Absher
- Log in to Absher with your own account.
- Open Visa Services from the e-services list.
- Choose the family member or worker you want to issue the visa for.
- Select the visa type and enter the duration or the return-before date.
- Confirm with Issue Exit and Re-Entry Visa, then print or save the visa if you want a copy.
Issue a separate visa for each traveller. A family trip means one visa per person, each with its own fee.
Exit re-entry visa fees
The National Platform lists the cost as variable, because the fee depends on the visa type and the length you choose. The long-standing schedule is SAR 200 for a single visa covering two months, plus SAR 100 for each additional month, and SAR 500 for a multiple visa covering three months, plus SAR 200 for each additional month. Fees can change, and extensions requested while the traveller is outside the Kingdom are priced differently, so treat the amount Absher shows before payment as the one that counts.
How to check an exit re-entry visa’s status
Absher has a free inquiry service for this. Log in, go to Workers, then Inquiries, and choose Exit and Re-Entry Visa Status. You will need the person’s Iqama number, passport number and visa number. Check the status after issuing and again before the person travels, especially if any dates were changed.
Extending the visa, including from outside Saudi Arabia
Plans change, and a family member abroad may need more time. Absher lets the sponsor extend the exit re-entry visa of a family member or domestic worker who is already outside the Kingdom. The National Platform lists these conditions:
- The person must be outside the Kingdom when the extension is requested.
- The new return date must be at least 7 days before the Iqama expires.
- The Iqama must be valid for 90 days or more, including the extension period, when extending by a number of days.
- Neither the sponsor, the worker nor any family member can be flagged in the Ministry of Interior’s system as absconded or with a recruitment violation.
- The extension fee must be paid.
In other words, an extension often depends on the Iqama. If the Iqama is about to expire, renewing it is usually the first step, and the extension comes after.
Common mistakes that cost time
- Choosing a duration that pushes the return date past what the Iqama allows.
- Forgetting a small unpaid traffic violation that blocks the whole request.
- Issuing one visa and assuming it covers the whole family.
- Booking flights before the visa is issued and its status checked.
- Leaving the extension until the last day when the traveller is abroad.
How Moaqeb can help
We check the Iqama and passport dates, outstanding requirements and the right visa type with you before you issue anything, then guide you through Absher step by step. Your Absher login, verification codes and payments stay with you, and we never ask for passwords. If something is returned or blocked, we help you work out why and what to fix. See our help with Saudi government e-services, browse all our services, or read how to choose an online general services office before you decide.
If the Iqama itself is the problem, our guide to Iqama renewal for dependents covers the steps and the dependent fee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I issue an exit re-entry visa for someone who is already abroad?
No. The person must be inside Saudi Arabia when the visa is issued. If they are already abroad on a valid visa, the option is to extend it from Absher, subject to the Iqama conditions.
How long must the Iqama be valid?
For a single visa issued by number of months, the Iqama must be valid for at least 90 days plus the visa duration, and the return-before date can be no later than 7 days before the Iqama expires.
How do I check whether the visa was issued correctly?
Use the free Exit and Re-Entry Visa Status inquiry in Absher under Workers, then Inquiries. You need the Iqama number, passport number and visa number.
Does each family member need a separate visa?
Yes. Each traveller needs their own exit re-entry visa, issued and paid for separately.
