Saudi Arabia extends visa validity for stranded visitors until April 18

Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday the extension of visitors' visas until April 18 for those who were unable to depart the Kingdom due to the ongoing regional situation after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

According to a statement from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior on X, it began processing the status of visa holders—covering all types of visit visas, Umrah, transit, and final exit visas—that expired as of February 25 for those unable to leave due to the current situation in the region.

"The beneficiary can go directly to the departure port, where their departure procedures will be completed with ease and simplicity, without the need for any prior measures," the statement read.

It added that the service did not require the payment of any fees for beneficiaries wishing to depart directly.

"These procedures will continue until 1 Dhul-Qa'dah 1447 AH, corresponding to April 18, 2026 AD. Beneficiaries are required to depart before this date to benefit from this service," the ministry added.

Global air travel remained heavily disrupted as continued air strikes kept major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai, the world's busiest international hub, closed in one of the sharpest aviation shocks in recent years.

Key transit airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Doha in Qatar, were shut or severely restricted as much of the region’s airspace remained closed after US and Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to data on flight-tracking platform FlightAware, thousands of flights were affected across the Middle East.

Airlines across Europe, Asia and the Middle East cancelled or rerouted flights to avoid closed or restricted airspace, lengthening journeys and driving up fuel costs.