scot47

Pretty sure that no transit visa is required. To change planes in Jeddah you do not need to go through immigration. You stay "airside". It is also possible to overnight in the Airport Hotel without going through immigration.

Miss Ann Thrope

That should be double checked as some countries require you to have a transit visa even if you never leave the plane and it's just a stop-off. I'm painfully aware of this because my partner and I were denied boarding to an EK flight to Auckland (in business class) because my other half required a transit visa for Australia where the plane stopped en route (though you had to look very hard on the EK booking site to even realise that it stopped in Oz). Neither of us had any idea this could even be a requirement and EK certainly didn't indicate at any point that it might be something to check even though it impacts citizens of their home country.

We managed to rebook for later that day on Cathay (in cattle class) through Hong Kong which had no such restriction even though we had to change planes there. It turns out that it only takes about an hour for an Oz visa to come through online as we discovered later when arranging a trip to Oz - in fact his visa was faster than my ESTA though it cost a lot more...

scot47

It probably depends on nationality. there is a publication - now online - updated monthly which explains all the convolutions of requirements for visas etc. Cant remember the name. It is 15 years since I worked in the Saudia Training centre.

Any competent travel agent can advise.

ExpatAl

Are you referring to Timatic?

It's hard to find definitive information anywhere and the travel agent haven't been responsive...

From what I can gauge it looks like you can spend up to 12 hours in the airport without the need for a visa but we will see tomorrow

scot47

I always found the check-in staff at the Saudia desk were knowledgeable about visas etc - and capable of checking the up-to-date regulations.

sicklyman

and also capable of refusing to issue you with a boarding pass because you don't meet the requirements. Terrific.

DXBtoDOH

Similar situation happened to an American mate going to NZ via Australia. He arranged for a multi day layover in Sydney and checked in at the airport without realising Americans also needed to get the ETA because he'd gone to Australia years ago when it wasn't required. Nothing on the airline's website said anything about Australia requiring the ETA even from western countries. The QA staff couldn't check him in but told him very directly to apply for the visa NOW and he went to the airport computer centre and filled out the online application, paid via credit and 20 minutes later when he was in the queue to rebook the ticket for the next day or so, the email comes through with the approval. So he went back to check in and managed to get on the plane. Said it was the most nerve-wracking and bizarre experience ever and said it felt like Australia just wanted the money because the approval was immediate and the ETA automatically added to his passport number in the airline's computer system.

Pollyana

Here's the current info on transiting Australia

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Lega/...ough-australia

The USA is even worse, you either need to do the ESTA/VWP process, or get a proper (not just transit) visa in order to transit there.

scot47

Saudia do not fly to Oz !

sicklyman

This happened to me when I attempted to fly out of Japan to Australia (transit) about 6 months after they decided all Brits needed visas. We managed to apply online and have our visas approved just as check in closed. Not fun...

ExpatAl

All fine through the airports (Riyadh and Jeddah). Not too bad really... was a bit strange hearing the prayers on every flight and delays from certain people being unhappy sitting next to others...

Miss Ann Thrope

So no immigration, no transit visa required? Presumably you had to go through some kind of security queue to get to your connecting flight? Such things can also be a nightmare in Saudi airports though I guess if you're airside you don't have to wait behind dozens of Afghan shepherds with trolleys loaded up with huge jerrycans of zam zam water...

scot47

In Jeddah there are all the facilities you need airside - including a hotel.

ExpatAl

Yep no immigration, no transit visa for my stopover (2 hours). Just waited in a fairly boring airport with a coffee shop and a bareboned duty free.

Queues weren't too bad, take off was a bit of a palava though