Norwegian authorities encourage everyone who travels to or stays in Saudi Arabia to register at reiseregistrering.no or on the Reiseklar application. Registration is optional. By registering, you enable Norwegian authorities to reach you with important information if anything should happen.
The Embassy in Riyadh/Consulate in Jeddah are not able to facilitate the test, as we do not have the required test room equipped with computer. However, British Council centres can administer the test for a service charge. Visit their websites for more information on how to take the test and the location of their centres.
The Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh is not authorized to perform marriage/wedding ceremonies in Saudi Arabia, kindly read more about marriage abroad on the Norwegian Tax Authorities' websites.
For information regarding the rules and regulations related to marriage in Norway, please see the Norwegian Tax Authorities' websites.
For information about studying in Norway, please visit Study in Norway’s websites.
A visitor to Saudi may drive with an international or foreign license that is valid for a period of one year, or until its validity expires, whichever is earlier.
Only if you plan on living in Saudi Arabia, will you need to exchange your Norwegian driving license for a Saudi one. The embassy can assist in certifying the English translation of a Norwegian driving license.
The embassy cannot issue a Norwegian driving license if it is lost/stolen. Read more about this issue at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
As of June 2018 women are legally able to obtain a license to drive a car, motorbikes and scooters.
To drive in Norway, you can exchange a license issued in an EU/EEA country. Visitors from countries outside the EEA can use their foreign driving license for up to 90 days.
To Norway: For information about bringing personal medication when travelling to Norway, please visit the Norwegian Medicines Agency’s (Legemiddelverkets) websites.
To Saudi Arabia: Bringing narcotic drugs to Saudi Arabia is strictly forbidden.
For bringing personal medication, you need to provide a prescription for the medication to the Food and Drug Authority upon arrival. Visit their websites for more information.
Drugs that are for personal use will be cleared for import into Saudi Arabia provided the following conditions are met:
The prescription medications in question must be accompanied by either:
1) A recent medical report (less than six months old) issued by the patient’s medical care provider and clearly stating the following:
- personal information of the patient;
- medical diagnosis;
- treatment plan;
- medical recommendations; and
- generic name of the prescription drugs, dosage and dosage form;
or by
2) A doctor's prescription (less than six months old) in the name of the patient with the following information:
- medical diagnosis;
- generic name of the prescription drug, dosage and dosage form;
- drug usage instructions and prescribed duration of use; and
- official seal of the health care provider.
The person importing the prescription medications will be held personally responsible for its lawful use and agrees to limit its usage to the intended patient only.
Medicine brought to Saudi Arabia without a prescription might be subject to confiscation.
Norwegian embassies does not cover expenses for Norwegians abroad. You can read more about which consular services that are provided to Norwegians abroad here (in Norwegian only): Konsulær bistand til norske borgere - regjeringen.no.
If you become ill and are a member of the National Insurance Scheme with the right to ordinary or extended benefits for health services, you will be entitled to coverage of your health expenses. A full overview of which expenses are covered can be found at helsenorge.no.
If you become ill and are not a member of the National Insurance Scheme, the National Insurance Scheme will not cover any health related expenses you may have abroad. You will also not automatically be entitled to coverage of your expenses for treatment of illness you received during your stay abroad when you return to Norway
If you have questions related to coverage of health services abroad, you must contact helsenorge.no.
Generally, Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country that enforces Islamic law (Sharia). You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
If you intend to visit in 2024, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to start on 10th March and finish on 14th April. During Ramadan, muslims fast from dawn to dusk. Saudi authorities advise that it is respectful to avoid eating or drinking in public during the day at this time. Most cafes and restaurants will also be closed during the day.
With the launch of the tourist e-visa on 28th September 2019, Saudi Arabia announced new regulations related to public conduct and decency. Men and women are required to refrain from public displays of affection, and avoid using profane language or gestures. Visitors to Saudi Arabia should familiarize themselves with public decency laws.
The public practice of any form of religion other than Islam is illegal; as is an intention to convert others. However, the Saudi authorities accept the private practice of religions other than Islam, and you can bring a religious text into the country as long as it is for your personal use. Importing larger quantities than this can carry severe penalties.
Men and women should dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees in public. Avoid tight-fitting and see-through clothes. It is not mandatory for female travelers to wear the traditional robe called abaya. More information on traditions, laws and etiquette in Saudi Arabia can be found on the Visit Saudi website.
Extra-marital sexual relations, including adultery, are illegal and can be subject to penalties.
Due to the laws on sex outside marriage, if you become pregnant outside marriage, both you and your partner could face imprisonment and/or deportation. Doctors will ask for proof of marriage during antenatal checks. An unmarried woman who gives birth in Saudi Arabia may also encounter problems when registering the birth of the child in Saudi Arabia, and could be arrested, imprisoned or deported. To get a birth certificate from the Saudi authorities, you must provide a marriage certificate and the authorities may compare the date of the marriage against the estimated date of conception.
Saudi Arabia is a traditional society. Homosexual relations can be subject to negative attention and penalties. It is also illegal to be transgender. Transgender people travelling to Saudi Arabia may face significant difficulties and risks if this is discovered by the authorities.
Penalties for the possession of or trade in alcohol are severe. Both can result in prison sentences. Do not arrive in Saudi Arabia under the influence of alcohol.
The punishment for smuggling drugs includes the death penalty.
If you bring medication with you, carry a doctor’s prescription.
Importing pork products is forbidden.
The possession of pornographic material is prohibited.
Pay attention to signs that forbids Photographing of government buildings, military installations, and palaces.
It is illegal to hold two passports in Saudi Arabia. Second passports will be confiscated by the immigration authorities if they are discovered.
The Saudi legal system differs in many ways from the Norwegian. Suspects can be held without charge and are not always allowed quick access to legal representation.
Anyone involved in a commercial dispute with a Saudi company or individual may be prevented from leaving the country pending resolution of the dispute. Government bodies may retain passports for official purposes; sponsors also sometimes retain passports, although this is illegal.
Leaving Saudi Arabia without settling the following can result delaying final exit procedure and obstructing future entry to Saudi:
- Paying any traffic violations.
- Sell or transfer ownership of your vehicle if any in registered under your name.
- Close your bank accounts and withdraw/transfer money from your account. After final exit your bank account will be seized and you will not be able to do any transaction even from your home country by online banking.
- Settle any financial obligations or cancel any prescriptions listed under your iqama.
- Obtain a Police Clearance Certificate before leaving Saudi Arabia. The Embassy can issue a letter to assist.
- It is important to note that expatriates need to have a passport validity of at least 60 days for a final exit visa.
Anything that is linked to your Iqama will be invalid immediately after immigration officer at airport stamp your final exit.
It is crucial that you prepare yourself in advance before asking your employer to start the process for final exit on Absher.
Holders of tourist visas are generally admitted for a 90-day stay and may not remain in the Kingdom more than 180 days in a twelve month period. Carefully check your visa validity and the length of granted stay. This can be clarified with Saudi immigration officials on arrival. Bear in mind that dates are calculated in accordance with the Hijri calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. Many online convertors are available online.
If you overstay your visa, you could face significant fines. The penalty for overstaying a visa in Saudi Arabia is 100 SAR per day of overstay. This means that if you overstay 5 days from your visa expiry day you will have to pay 500 SAR to be allowed to leave the country.
You can settle your fine for overstaying visa in Saudi Arabia at the Immigration counter before boarding the flight. It is therefore advisable to calculate the exit date and depart at least two days in advance.
NB! The Norwegian Embassy is unable to intercede, reduce fines, or prevent incarceration if you violate Saudi law.
If you’re transiting through Saudi Arabia, you will need a transit visa if the connecting time between your flights is more than 12 hours. Once the ticket is issued, you should confirm with your airline or travel agency if you need a transit visa. You should be able to apply for a transit visa through your airline.
If you are entering Saudi Arabia, your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date you arrive.
There is a possibility that the immigration authority at the airport does not grant you entry and returns you upon arrival. This can be the case if you are registered with a travel ban in case you have previously lived in Saudi Arabia. Please see below on travel ban.
You may also be refused entry to Saudi Arabia if your passport contains an Israeli visa and/or an Israeli border stamp.
Kindly check with the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Oslo before applying for your visa to Saudi Arabia, or apply for a new passport if you wish to be on the safe side.
Travel bans are rigidly enforced and can take months or even years to resolve. Only Saudi Arabian authorities and sponsors can remove travel bans.
The government may issue travel bans on people who are/have:
- charged with criminal offenses;
- under investigation;
- involved in financial or labor disputes;
- failed to report to work according to the terms of the contract (absconded);
- unpaid debts or who have passed bad checks.
The list above is not exhaustive. Private Saudi citizens may also initiate travel bans against foreign citizens for various reasons.
NB! The Norwegian Embassy is unable to prevent detention or deportation if you violate Saudi law.
If you have other questions, you can consult the Ministry of Foreign affairs travel’s information on Saudi Arabia at regjeringen.no.
You can contact the embassy in Riyadh at emb.riyadh@mfa.no.