sicklyman

https://www.evisa.gov.bh/VisaBhr10En.html

lists details of new visa fees that the Arab News covered today at

Bahrain visa fee stays same for King Fahd Causeway travelers | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

what isn't clear from the e-visa page is whether those new fees apply to you if you land in Bahrain and simply want to cross the causeway back into Saudi. As of last month, it cost 2BD per person (I think) to get a transit visa. The new fees are considerably higher.

Also, confusingly, the e-visa website states:

With iqamas only valid for a year, it seems that there would only be one day during that year when you would be eligible - exactly halfway through.

Anyone know what the current state of affairs is for someone arriving back via Bahrain airport and transiting to Saudi over the causeway the same day? I have a vested interest in this: my wife is due to return to Saudi in a couple of weeks. Don't want her getting caught out by this

norsk

It isn't clear either if there now suddenly is a daily fee for those people commuting across the causeway every day. According to the website there is, but as we all know these rules are very rarely applied in the way they are written..

As a Norwegian I would now pay BD25 on arrival at the airport to visit my friends in Bahrain, and Brits pay only a few BD less. This is quite a remarkable increase.

Tockalosh

I think they are trying to dissuade migrants and refugees from Norway. I hear it's a bit dodgy there these days

sicklyman

Actually norsk, the Arab News article makes clear that there will continue to be no fee for GCC residents travelling across the causeway to Bahrain.

norsk

Fair enough mate. Should have read the article I suppose.

I went by the visa website, but then again I think that has always said you have to pay on the causeway despite how it actually was.

Backinthesand

Colleagues with UAE residency have always been paying BD5 from exiting KSA into Bahrain even for flight out same day. With no Saudi or Bahrain residency this has been the fee for some time. Visa on arrival for someone this weekend at the airport was BD25

sicklyman

sorry... I meant so say that the fees remain unchanged for GCC residents. Saudis pay nothing. If UAE residents pay BD5 then that will remain unchanged.

What residency status did the passenger arriving this weekend have?

This is going to cause issues because most people don't arrive with BD25 in cash in their wallet. I guess their exchange booth will be doing a roaring trade.

Dammam is starting to look like a much better option for travelling in/out of Saudi if we have to pay SAR500 between us every time we come back through Bahrain.

Ouch!

sicklyman

here's the word from the horse's mouth:

that's an email response from the eVisa website.

Backinthesand

Not sure about the BD25 coming through the airport heard from a friend, but had a Brit with UAE residency arrive yesterday and got charged BD20 left again same day, and another Brit with no GCC residence - same BD20, so seems 20 is the minimum charge, think this will also apply to KSA Residents arriving through the airport. Have a mate on a visit visa going over the Causeway into Bahrain tonight so will find out soon what that cost him, reckon it will be BD5

sicklyman

For iqama holders, there's no charge over the Causeway INTO Bahrain and it's BD2 if you arrive at the airport for transit to Saudi and leave within 24 hours.

In other words, no change if you are a Saudi resident.

Backinthesand

So it continues to be completely random, a Brit arrived last Wednesday from AUH paid BD2 on arrival at the airport, I took him straight across the causeway into Bahrain, back again in the evening to the airport, again BD2 on the bridge. There is no consistency in what they are charging at the moment. Taking another guy over the causeway this evening, again straight to the airport, well maybe via a watering hole for an hour or so, will see what they charge today.

sicklyman

erm... I guess that's a typo and should read "across the causeway into Saudi".

This guy has an iqama right?

If you take people across the causeway who are only on a visit visa to Saudi i.e. not resident, they they'll pay the Bahraini fee.

Backinthesand

Yep a typo thanks for pointing that out - Airport to Saudi to Bahrain same day, then again Saudi to Bahrain on Sunday.

No Iqama only UAE residency.

He paid BD2 at the airport (even though he had a brand new Saudi visit visa which had not been "activated" both times going back into Bahrain paid BD2 - he was asked to show his flight ticket on the causeway, but had nothing to prove he was going to Saudi when he first landed at the airport.

It seems that there is just no consistency in what they are charging, somewhat pot luck I guess.

sicklyman

they never ask for proof that you have what it takes to enter Saudi at Bahrain airport. They just take your money and stamp the passport.

I'm sure that in this case the UAE residency will have made him a special case. Do you have other UAE residents for whom this procedure produced a different experience?

Backinthesand

Yep - another colleague came in for a meeting in Bahrain earlier this month again with UAE residency, landed got charged BD20, checked back in 4 hours later.