Unified National Platform for Visas

The Unified National Platform for Visas is a digital platform under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It enables beneficiaries to access ministry services, such as issuing visas, registering authorizations, and inquiring about previously submitted applications. It was approved by the Council of Ministers on May 17, 2022, to serve as a unified platform for issuing all visas. The platform connects applicant information with various relevant government entities to authenticate and approve the services provided through it.

The Unified National Platform for Visas was proposed based on a telegram from the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Chairman of the National Digital Transformation Committee, on September 15, 2020. The National Information Center was tasked with preparing the platform, with the condition that there should be no changes to the existing electronic systems and current procedures in the Ministry of Interior, including its platforms such as the Border Law, Recruitment Law, and the Rules for Dealing with Expatriates.

The Unified National Platform for Visas offers several services, including visa services for citizens and residents in the Kingdom, as well as for businesses and entities. Through the platform, citizens and residents can apply for family visit visas, personal visit visas, extend return visas, authorize visas, authorize work visas (Musaned), authenticate requests for individuals, and access inquiry and suggestion services.

Visitors or residents can apply for various visas, including the Hajj and Umrah visa application form, the request for obtaining a visa from Saudi representations abroad, a visa for healthcare providers outside the Kingdom, and verification of the issuance of a health certificate.

The platform offers services for businesses and entities, including: extending return visas, requesting government visit visas, applying for study visas, applying for treatment visas, requesting event visit visas, requesting business visit visas, authorizing work visas (Musaned), authorizing visas, and completing the application for Umrah office accreditation.

In November 2023, the Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the second phase of the Business Visit Visa "Visitor Investor" service, extending it to the rest of the world. This visa aims to provide foreign investors and employees of foreign entities the opportunity to apply for an electronic visit visa through the Ministry of Investment's platform "Invest Saudi," allowing the request to be processed and the visa issued digitally via the Unified National Platform for Visas without the need to visit Saudi representations abroad for biometric data. The visa can be used for up to one year with multiple entries, and several beneficiaries can obtain the visa immediately for the purpose of visiting the Kingdom and exploring investment opportunities.

The operation mechanism of the Unified National Platform for Visas was established by appointing a representative from each of the following entities: Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, Digital Government Authority, National Cybersecurity Authority, National Center for Government Resource Systems, and any other entities deemed necessary by the committee. These representatives were tasked with identifying procedures for the platform and developing its services before its establishment, ensuring that all procedures, once approved, do not negatively impact the functions of other government entities.