Canada Visitor Visa From Saudi Arabia 2026: Applying Online, Biometrics in Riyadh, Jeddah or Al Khobar, Fees and Processing

Canada Visa From Saudi Arabia - 2026 Quick Answer

Saudi citizens need a Canadian visitor visa, or temporary resident visa (TRV), even for transit. Expats on an iqama follow the rule for their passport, and the most common expat nationalities are also visa-required.

The short version, as of November 2026:

• Application: online, through an IRCC account.
• IRCC fees: CAD 100 for the visa plus CAD 85 for biometrics, so CAD 185 per person.
• Biometrics: a free appointment at VFS Global in Riyadh, Jeddah or Al Khobar, within 30 days of the biometric instruction letter.
• Processing: 46 days for applications from Saudi Arabia, per IRCC data updated on 29 October 2026.
• Key expat documents: iqama and exit and re-entry visa copies, a Chamber of Commerce certified employer letter, three months of bank statements.

The decision belongs to IRCC. We recommend checking IRCC's official pages right before you apply.

TRV or eTA - Who Needs Which

Canada decides between a visa and an eTA by your passport. The iqama does not change the requirement.

Saudi citizens

Saudi Arabia is on IRCC's visa-required list. Saudi citizens need a visitor visa to visit or transit through Canada by any method of travel. Saudi Arabia is not on the eTA list or in the eTA-X program.

Iqama holders

These nationalities, common among Saudi residents, are all visa-required: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and the Philippines. An iqama does not make anyone eligible for an eTA.

Filipino residents and eTA-X

The Philippines is in IRCC's eTA-X program for some visa-required countries. A Filipino citizen may get an eTA (CAD 7) instead of a visa only if they held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa, plan a temporary stay of normally up to six months, and fly in. Arriving by car from the US, or by bus, train or boat, still requires a TRV.

Applying Online From Saudi Arabia

IRCC requires visitor visa applications to be made online. Paper is accepted only if the applicant cannot apply online, for example because of a disability, or travels on a refugee, stateless or non-citizen document.

IRCC assigns Saudi Arabia to its Riyadh visa office and asks applicants not to contact the office unless it reaches out first.

According to Guide 5256, non-citizens send proof of legal status where they apply. The form also asks for residence dates, past refusals anywhere and 10 years of employment history.

Step by step

• Apply online and pay CAD 185 at submission. IRCC says an unpaid biometrics fee may cause delays.
• Book a free VFS appointment once the biometric instruction letter (BIL) arrives.
• Give biometrics within 30 days of the BIL.
• If approved, submit your passport within 30 days of IRCC's passport request.

The portal gives you a personalized document checklist. We recommend treating it as the final word.

Biometrics at the VFS Centres in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar

Saudi citizens and iqama holders alike give fingerprints and a photo. According to IRCC's biometrics guidance, children aged 13 and under and applicants aged 80 and over are exempt.

VFS Global runs three Canada visa application centres in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in the Eastern Province. As of November 2026, all three open Sunday to Thursday, 08:00 to 16:30.

• Biometrics are by appointment, and appointments are free. IRCC warns not to pay anyone for a slot.
• IRCC's guidance indicates that applicants bring the BIL and their passport.
• Biometrics stay valid for 10 years, even if the application is refused.

Passport submission after approval

IRCC lists the same three centres for passports from Saudi Arabia. The passport goes in only after IRCC's passport request, within 30 days, with at least one blank page. According to VFS, each family member waits for their own request letter, and in-person submissions are by appointment only.

IRCC advises submitting the same passport used in the application. You cannot travel until the visa is placed in it.

Documents for Iqama Holders

IRCC's Riyadh Visa Office Additional Document Checklist (IMM 5887, April 2026 edition) applies on top of the generic TRV checklist (IMM 5484). Missing documents may lead to refusal or delays.

Residence status

Non-Saudi citizens include copies of the iqama and the exit and re-entry visa. The checklist names no minimum validity. We recommend checking on Absher or with your employer that both cover the whole trip and your return.

Money and employment

• Bank statements or a bank book for the past three months.
• An employer letter certified by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce, stating position, salary, length of service, contract dates and dates of authorized leave.
• Other proof where relevant: pay slips, pension, trade licence, investments.

IRCC sets no fixed amount of money. It depends on the length of the stay and the accommodation.

If someone else pays

When a spouse or parent who sponsors the family iqama pays, the checklist asks for their signed letter, a copy of their passport or photo ID, a bank certificate and a note on the relationship, dated within three months of submission.

Non-working spouses and students can add their own ties, such as studies or children's schooling. This is practical advice, not an IRCC rule, but IRCC's refusal-letter template does name immigration status and family ties among the ties officers weigh.

Forms, passport and translations

• Family Information Form (IMM 5707) for each applicant over 18, with every question answered.
• Schedule 1 if any background answer is yes.
• A passport valid at least six months on arrival in Canada. The visa never outlasts it, so we recommend renewing first. Children need their own passports.
• Certified English or French translations of documents in Arabic or other languages.

By purpose of travel

• Tourism: a travel plan and the names of companions.
• Family visit: an invitation letter (an email copy is fine) and the host's proof of status in Canada, included with your application.
• Business: an invitation from the Canadian business party and an employer letter.
• Minors with one parent or alone: proof of custody or the other parent's consent letter with a copy of their signed ID.

The checklist warns that false statements or fraudulent documents mean immediate refusal and a possible five-year ban.

Fees and Processing Time

IRCC fees (as of November 2026)

• Visitor visa: CAD 100 per person, or CAD 500 maximum for a family of five or more applying at the same time and place.
• Biometrics: CAD 85 per person, or CAD 170 maximum for a family of two or more applying at the same time.
• eTA, if you qualify: CAD 7.

The visa fee is the same for single and multiple entry. We recommend paying online at submission. In most cases IRCC fees are not refunded once processing starts, even after a refusal.

VFS charges (from 1 November 2026)

• One package transmission is included in the IRCC biometrics fee, through the VAC where you gave biometrics.
• Extra package transmission: SAR 78 (CAD 28.03), for example if you submit at a different VAC.
• Optional extras: courier SAR 45 one way or SAR 85 both ways, ICAO photo SAR 18, SMS SAR 8, Premium Lounge SAR 517.

VFS says extras do not fast-track the application, and all VFS charges are non-refundable. According to its Saudi page, VFS fees are paid at the centre in riyals.

Processing time

According to IRCC data last updated on 29 October 2026, a visitor visa applied for from Saudi Arabia takes about 46 days and a super visa 92 days. On 21 October the figure was 49 days.

The estimate follows the country you apply from, so an Indian applying from Riyadh gets the Saudi figure. The same data showed India at 31 days, Pakistan 59, the Philippines 25, Egypt 58 and the UAE 55. That is not a reason to fly home to apply.

IRCC's times run from a complete application to the decision, include biometrics and are not a guarantee. The page is updated weekly.

Refusals and Reapplying

Under section 179 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, an officer issues a TRV only if satisfied, among other things, that the applicant will leave Canada at the end of the stay and is not inadmissible.

IRCC told a House of Commons committee in May 2026 that most TRV refusals come down to doubt that the applicant will leave. The global refusal rate was 51% in 2025, with no breakdown by country.

IRCC's 2019 officer guidance asks about salary, approved leave, family, property and previous travel. A certified employer letter with leave dates answers several of these.

According to applicant reports on Reddit in late September 2026, a long-term Saudi resident with a Palestinian passport, a non-working spouse, was refused a visa to visit her mother. The poster said the officer doubted her ties because she lives outside her country of citizenship. It is one unverified case.

After a refusal

• Reasons appear in your IRCC account. Since 29 July 2025, most refusals come with officer decision notes, parts of which may be removed.
• A Privacy Act request for your file is free.
• There is no formal appeal. IRCC suggests reapplying only with new information that addresses the refusal, and sets no waiting period.
• Judicial review at the Federal Court is possible within 60 days for decisions made outside Canada.
• Biometrics stay valid, but the visa fee is paid again.

IRCC says a consultant or agent does not raise approval chances, and reapplying with the same information will likely not change the result. Misrepresentation brings five years of inadmissibility.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 1 November 2026: new VFS Saudi charges, including SAR 78 for an extra package transmission.
• 26 May 2026: eTA-X added Indonesia and Malaysia only. Saudi Arabia was not included.
• April 2026: new edition of the Riyadh checklist (IMM 5887).
• 26 March 2026: Bill C-12 lets IRCC cancel, suspend or change large groups of documents and pause intake, with Governor in Council approval.
• 29 July 2025: decision notes added to most temporary residence refusals.
• 31 January 2025: officers gained explicit authority to cancel TRVs and eTAs case by case.
• Since November 2024: officers decide on single or multiple entry and the validity period.

FAQ

Can Saudi citizens apply for a Canadian eTA?

No. Saudi Arabia is visa-required and outside eTA-X, so Saudi citizens need a TRV, even for transit.

Does an iqama make me eligible for an eTA?

No, the passport decides. Among the nationalities listed above, only Filipinos may qualify, through eTA-X.

How long does a Canada visa from Saudi Arabia take?

About 46 days as of 29 October 2026, according to IRCC. The estimate changes weekly.

What is the total cost?

IRCC: CAD 185 per person. From November 2026, VFS extras are optional, except SAR 78 per extra transmission.

How much money should be in my bank account?

IRCC sets no fixed amount. The Riyadh checklist asks for three months of bank statements.

How long can I stay in Canada on a visitor visa?

Usually six months, unless an officer fixes another period. Visitors cannot work without authorization.

Will I get a multiple-entry visa?

The officer decides. A visa can last up to 10 years or until the passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first.

Can I appeal a refused Canadian visa?

There is no formal appeal. You can reapply with new evidence or seek judicial review at the Federal Court within 60 days.

Can Visarun represent me before IRCC?

No. Visarun is an agency that helps to prepare and check your documents before you apply. IRPA section 91 limits paid representation to lawyers, Quebec notaries, other law society members and members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. The decision belongs to IRCC, and no one can guarantee approval.