Want to visit Riaydh for tourism - possible?
Jan 30, 2014, 2:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 710
Want to visit Riaydh for tourism - possible?
I am a UK national. No business, no Saudi contacts, travelling as solo man.
All I want to do is experience a few days in Riyadh, go up the Kingdom Tower, and get to be in King Khaled Airport.
All I want to do is experience a few days in Riyadh, go up the Kingdom Tower, and get to be in King Khaled Airport.
Jan 31, 2014, 6:33 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
The only way I can see this being possible is with a transit visa that would give you a day or so. There have been various success stories here, although mostly from US members.
Can you construct an itinerary that would 'require' a 24-36 hrs transit, maybe on SV ?
Perhaps also talk to a couple of the visa agents in London. They know the Saudi embassy well.
If you do manage to score a visa, I can suggest plenty of things to do. It is a friendly and fascinating country, although a little daunting if you're more used to the west
hth
Can you construct an itinerary that would 'require' a 24-36 hrs transit, maybe on SV ?
Perhaps also talk to a couple of the visa agents in London. They know the Saudi embassy well.
If you do manage to score a visa, I can suggest plenty of things to do. It is a friendly and fascinating country, although a little daunting if you're more used to the west
hth
Feb 2, 2014, 7:22 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Dubai
Programs: SPG Plat, IHG Spire, HHonors Diamond, EK Gold
Posts: 213
When they were starting the last spruce up, where they put in the mezzanine floor lounges (18 months or so ago?), they turned them on very briefly. Think something had died in the pipe as they smelled horrific so must've written it off as a bad idea.
Feb 6, 2014, 2:09 pm
#6
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,413
RUH is slightly fascinating. Someone at SV/in Saudi Arabia/neither of the above realized that transit passengers are good for business, so non-Saudi women touting abbayas hob-nob with Scandinavian backpackers without a hitch post-security.
Feb 12, 2014, 10:52 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Apparently you can still apply for a Saudi Transit visa in Dubai, but you can't leave the airport(?):
http://www.almasardubai.com/saudi-vi...or-saudi-visa/
http://www.almasardubai.com/saudi-vi...or-saudi-visa/
Feb 13, 2014, 2:58 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT / 2MM
Posts: 2,113
Apparently you can still apply for a Saudi Transit visa in Dubai, but you can't leave the airport(?):
http://www.almasardubai.com/saudi-vi...or-saudi-visa/
http://www.almasardubai.com/saudi-vi...or-saudi-visa/
I hate to cite bloggers for anything, but I googled this recently and one airline blogger said it's been shut down as of November 2013, but who knows.
Apr 30, 2014, 4:27 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 710
Getting more serious about this now.
I want to fly Saudi, and I want to visit Riyadh. Just a shame it seems they won't allow any tourist visas.
My planned itinerary would be LHR-RUH-CAI (deliberately choosing Saudia, and deliberately with a stopover in RUH rather than JED). I could spend 12 hours overnight at the airport on this booking, which I suppose could get me a transit visa (maybe?), but I want to spend 2 nights at the Ritz Carlton Riyadh, and see the Kingdom Tower, too.
Am I just wasting my time and ambition here? Maybe I should cross off Saudi Arabia forever, but that would be such a shame...
I want to fly Saudi, and I want to visit Riyadh. Just a shame it seems they won't allow any tourist visas.
My planned itinerary would be LHR-RUH-CAI (deliberately choosing Saudia, and deliberately with a stopover in RUH rather than JED). I could spend 12 hours overnight at the airport on this booking, which I suppose could get me a transit visa (maybe?), but I want to spend 2 nights at the Ritz Carlton Riyadh, and see the Kingdom Tower, too.
Am I just wasting my time and ambition here? Maybe I should cross off Saudi Arabia forever, but that would be such a shame...
Apr 30, 2014, 5:45 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Apr 30, 2014, 7:33 pm
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,160
From what I've read, you'd need to pretend that your a Muslim on a pilgrimage. Assuming, that is, that you don't have some special visa.
May 1, 2014, 8:16 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT / 2MM
Posts: 2,113
Not to get into OMNI territory, but pretending you're Muslim could have dire consequences and doing a sham conversion to Islam is dangerous as well because apostasy is punishable by death under Islamic law. Though, non-Muslim Westerners been faking their way into Mecca for at least the past couple hundred years, so you wouldn't be the first to get away with it.
May 3, 2014, 1:37 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,160
Not to get into OMNI territory, but pretending you're Muslim could have dire consequences and doing a sham conversion to Islam is dangerous as well because apostasy is punishable by death under Islamic law. Though, non-Muslim Westerners been faking their way into Mecca for at least the past couple hundred years, so you wouldn't be the first to get away with it.
