Transit Visa Saudia Urgent Help
 

I have a transit visa for 3 day stay in Saudi arabia while going to Karachi.
Flying from IAD-JED than MED- KHI which is ok and there is no problem. However my return is scheduled as KHI-DAM-JED-IAD, today talking to Saudi airline i found out that i will have problem as when I reach Damam i have to board a local flight which local authority will not me do as I am on transit visa. So basically what they are saying is that I should get a flight straight to JED from KHI without stop in Damam to avoid the situtation. I have a non refundable ticket. and I have to buy new ticket which costs about 500$ more plus i loose my first ticket. I spoke to Saudi Embassy and they said it all depends on the immigration officer, if they are take it easy they will let you go other wise can also give you lot of problem. My questions is what should I do... should i take the risk or should go ahead and take the loss and buy new ticket. does anyone have same experience before or can guide me on how to handle the situation..

To be honest, even transiting in a one-stop situation in Saudi Arabia can get screwed up. Really, I would rather fly EK to DXB or QR to DOH, backtrack to JED for Umra, then travel onwards to KHI via EK or QR than deal with the unpredictability of Saudia.

So, Saudia or a travel agent sold you the current ticket and that entity is the one that needs to make the change free of charge. If this tack fails (and it shouldn't), just pester the Saudia office in MED or KHI to make the necessary changes. If they don't, just buy a cheap one way KHI-IAD on your return.

Another option might be to apply for an Umra visa when you arrive in KHI, so that you can do the international to domestic transfer in DMM, but they might want to see a ticket and they might have a 3-5 day turnaround time. Like all things to do with Saudi Arabia, what happens to you really is up to the person you are dealing with at the time. Good luck, and lesson learned, right?

I'd definitely sort the problem out before the trip commences, be that a new ticket or trying to alter the visa. Hoping for an understanding immigration official is not a risk I would take. My guess is that 500 USD is worth the potential hassle of a problem with Saudi Immigration.

Firstly, wouldn't you need two transit visas to even think about this?

Secondly, although the rules are murky, it's not likely your transit visa would let you travel beyond the immediate city from where you arrive / depart.

I think it's very very risky. Even if you are let into the country, there are several more points of interaction with officials (and indeed checkpoints around the cities) that could cause you grief.

You know, because of my attitude to the misuse of authority, I just automatically assume I am going to end up in a Saudi jail every time I travel there. However, I have found that deferential persistence always pays off in Saudi Arabia, and that "Khalas" (We're done) and "Khalas, Kharooj! (We're done, Get out!) are merely opportunities to continue negotiating.

I did not bring this up earlier, because there are too many variables involved, but I have been able to convince Immigration officers at JED to extend a 24 hour transit visa into a 7 day visa w/ Makkah and Madinnah travel permitted. It took an hour to convince them and two more hours to execute, but the formalities were completed cheerfully. Having said that I do think OP should absolutely resolve his issues before departure, if possible.

transiting DMM on separate tickets without onward BP
 

Just looking for a sanity check here, I think I'm OK but here's the plan:

I'm doing a RTW and the one section where there is a gap in tickets and a surface sector is the Middle East.

1. AMM-MCT - spend a few days in Muscat
2. surface or maybe buy a cheap ticket MCT->SHJ/DXB/AUH
3. SHJ-DMM - cheap AirArabia ticket, arr. DMM at 08.40
4. DMM-AMM - continue RTW ticket, Royal Jordanian dep. DMM at 18.50

So I will transiting at DMM/Dammam on separate tickets and will need to stay in the airport for 10 hours, but apparently nothing needs to be set up ahead of time since it is below the 18-hour threshold for a Saudi Transit Visa. Does this sound right to everyone?

Other questions to those who might have been thru DMM:

- RJ doesn't have on-line check in so I presume at some point I'll either have to leave the secure area in DMM and go out to the RJ ticketing desk for my BP, or would there be an internal transit desk where I could get my RJ BP?

- since there is no on-line check-in to get my BP, at SHJ will I only need to show a ink-jet print out of my continuing flight on RJ?

- I am OW Sapphire which allows access to RJs contract lounge in DMM (called "First Class Lounge"), any suggestions/strategies for getting in there several hours ahead of departure time or will I have to wait until the RJ ticketing desk opens up?

I would imagine you will have some serious explaining and negotiating to do with the G9 staff at SHJ and then the immigration staff at DMM. Do you speak Arabic?

I've definitely never seen an internal transfer desk at DMM.

There is that small counter to the left just before the Immigration counters where there are always people queuing up to talk to Saudia staff. It's not signposted (very well) but I think it is a transfer desk.

Thankfully my travel companion is fluent in Arabic (otherwise I wouldn't even consider this) and in addition we have a Dubai-based friend who is a private pilot who will be dropping us off in SHJ for our G9 flight, so I suppose he could be called upon for some assistance as well if G9 staff put up some resistance.

Good to read that it appears there is a transit desk there at DMM! Thank you for the replies.

Malcolmkettering, I hope your transit in DMM is uneventful and it sounds like you will be in good company.

Please be aware that the couple of times I have arrived at DMM, I have never seen a sign that stated "Transfers" or "Connections", but anytime I see a couple of hundred South Asian gentlemen standing quietly in an airside line at an airport in a Gulf/Arab country, it's usually a Transfer desk.

I always assumed it was some kind of visa desk, but you may well be right!

I believe this is the transfer "desk"

DMM no-visa transit successful
 

Arrived at SHJ via RTA Bus 306 from al-Ghaibab Station in Dubai, changing to taxi at al-Shareef Mall in Sharjah. Total cost was 5 dhms each for bus and 35 dhms for taxi. At AirArabia check-in, we were asked for our Saudi visas and we explained we were only transiting and showed them the Saudi Embassy page which explained the <18 hour transit visa exemption. Since they are a point-to-point LCC, this was not something familiar to them so we had to push to get them to proceed with checking us in. After a while and some help from other staff, they were able to check us in and advised us NOT to check our backpacks and instead carry them on. They were tagged as carry-ons and we were told to get duty free bags for our >100ml liquids so we could try to get them through Security. This in fact worked and we were able to get our large and small packs through Security. We waited in a windowless, bathroom-less SHJ Gate 4 and then the flight was delayed one hour due to fog at DMM.

Eventually we made it about 90 mins late and we arrived at Gate 25 or thereabouts. Upon deplaning, there were the usual signs to Immigration, Transit and Connecting flights. We followed the signs and ended up in the Passport Control hall. There was an unoccupied Transit Desk along one wall, with an up escalator behind. Once the lines for Immigration started to recede, we asked an officer about the Transit Desk. He told us to stay against a wall near some seats and someone would come. Eventually, a gentlemen came and found us, he knew we'd come in from SHJ so AirArabia must have transmitted some details of our connection along with the flight's paperwork. He had us fill out a form with our details then he escorted us to a small Customs area behind the Transfer Desk. The Customs guy looked in our bags a bit and asked about alcohol, etc., it was very low key. Then we passed inspection and our escort took us up the escalator to a security checkpoint. We went through normal Security and then our escort even tried to get us into the RJ contract lounge, but since we didn't have J boarding passes, we weren't allowed in. It was worth a try, seemed like a nice lounge.

Since the RJ check-in desk wouldn't open for another 4+ hours, our escort left us in a common area between concourses and told us he'd come back after they open and take our passports. Sure enough, a few hours later he appeared, took our passports and came back maybe 30 minutes later with our RJ boarding passes and we went to Gate 19 to wait. During our time waiting around, we were able to connect for free to the wi-fi from the Biz Class Lounge, so that helped pass the time. Not a great connection, but it worked.

So all in all, a positive albeit boring experience for two Americans transiting Saudi Arabia without visas! Thanks DMM transfer guy!

These are not usual! :D

I was quite surprised to see them when I arrived in DMM last week. I had not spotted them before.

Nobody was there when I passed through either, and nor was there anywhere at the domestic transfer passport booths (which was annoying since I was flying DXB-DMM-RUH - direct flights all full).

Sounds like you were lucky to have someone helpful and who knew what he was doing!

DMM does seem to be gearing itself up to be better at handling transit passengers, though. It's definitely a positive development that it all went so smoothly (well, as long as it doesn't disrupt my precious ex-DMM EK tickets :) )

Does Saudi transit visa allow to go to another city?
 

I've transit visa. My route is JFK-JED-DAC. I've got transit visa for 3 days while being at JED. My plan is to backtrack Makkah from Jeddah. Will there be any permission required to leave Jeddah city and enter Makkah? Should I get any prior permission from Saudi consulate in NY?