At a glance
- Local name
- Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda)
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Process steps
- 9
- Fee items
- 10
- Online portals
- 5
- FAQs
- 9
- Pitfalls covered
- 8
- Last verified
- 2026-06
What is Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) in KSA?
Saudi residents need an exit visa to leave the country and return - the residency Iqama alone does not authorise re-entry. There are three flavours: a single-entry exit/re-entry visa (one trip out, one trip back inside the validity); a multiple-entry exit/re-entry visa (multiple trips during the validity period); and a final exit visa (Khurooj Nihai, which permanently ends Saudi residency and cancels the Iqama on departure). All three are filed through the Absher Individuals portal or by the sponsor through Absher Business / Muqeem, with fees paid through SADAD.
Fees are set by Royal Decree and have been unchanged since January 2023. Single-entry exit/re-entry: SAR 200 base for up to 2 months, then SAR 100/month for each additional month if you extend while inside Saudi Arabia, or SAR 200/month for each additional month if you extend while abroad. Multiple-entry exit/re-entry: SAR 500 base for up to 3 months, then SAR 200/month additional inside Saudi Arabia, or SAR 400/month abroad. The 'inside vs outside Kingdom' split for extensions is a meaningful budget difference - extending while abroad costs twice as much per month for both visa types.
A new fee has appeared since January 2025 alongside the underlying visa fees. The Absher processing service fee for an exit/re-entry visa extension is SAR 103.50 per transaction. This is a separate line item on the SADAD bill and applies to every extension transaction - it cannot be refunded if the visa is cancelled before use. The underlying SAR 200 single or SAR 500 multiple visa fee is also non-refundable, which is the Jawazat confirmed position regardless of why the visa is cancelled.
Final exit visas carry no government fee (SAR 0) and no confirmed government processing fee either - the widely-copied claim of a SAR 70 Absher processing fee on final exits could not be verified against Jawazat or Absher's own published fee schedule. Some guides still report a final-exit processing service fee, so check the SADAD bill line before paying rather than assuming a fixed figure. Issuance is conditional on: clearing every government fine; settling any active labour dispute; cancelling vehicle ownership; passport with 60+ days remaining; Iqama with at least 30 days remaining (a final exit cannot be issued if the Iqama has less than 30 days left); and dependents must either depart with you or be transferred to a new sponsor. Workers in the private sector can self-file a final exit through Absher Individuals if the contract has ended or expired - the employer has a 10-working-day window to object on legal grounds only, under LRI 2021. Once departed on a final exit, the Iqama is automatically cancelled.
The single most important reform of mid-2025 is the removal of the automatic 3-year re-entry ban for workers whose exit/re-entry visa expired while they were abroad. Until mid-2025, an expired exit/re-entry visa while outside Saudi Arabia triggered a catch-all 3-year ban that blocked any new work visa - which trapped thousands of workers during the 2022-2024 paperwork delays. As of 2026 that automatic ban is gone, and workers who got caught can apply for fresh work visas through normal channels. Re-entry bans still apply for deportation cases (3 years to permanent depending on severity), criminal violations, unresolved 'Absent from Work' flags, and major overstays.
Status checks are easy. The digital exit/re-entry visa appears immediately in Absher under My Services > Visa Services after issuance; a PDF can be downloaded. For employer-side verification the Muqeem visa-validity portal at vv.muqeem.sa shows the same data. Visa validity is also capped by remaining Iqama validity - if the Iqama expires while you are abroad on an exit/re-entry visa, the visa also expires, which is why Iqama renewals timed before travel matter.
What documents do I need for Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda)?
Bring originals AND coloured photocopies of every item. Files are rejected at counter for a single missing page or unattested certificate.
Documents required
- ✓Valid Iqama with sufficient remaining validity to cover the planned travel period
- ✓Valid passport with at least 6 months remaining (60+ days for final exit)
- ✓Cleared traffic and Jawazat fines on Absher
- ✓Active CCHI health insurance (some final exit cases require this to be in good standing)
- ✓For dependent exits: sponsor's Absher account linked to the dependent's Iqama
- ✓For abroad extensions: the worker's own Absher access with Saudi mobile OTP, or an authorised sponsor extending via Absher Business / Muqeem
Eligibility
- →You hold a valid Iqama (single or multiple exit/re-entry); Iqama must have at least 30 days remaining for a final exit
- →All government fines (Muroor, Jawazat, municipality) are cleared up to the issuance date
- →Sponsor's establishment is not in Nitaqat Red with a freeze on exit-visa issuance
- →For final exit: no active labour disputes; no vehicles registered in your name; all dependent obligations settled
- →For employer-issued exits: the employer has paid the work-permit levy through the visa expiry date
How much does Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) cost in KSA in 2026?
Government fees current to 2026-06. All payments via the relevant portal wallet or SADAD-equivalent rail; service-centre cash counters typically charge a small extra typing fee.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single exit/re-entry visa (up to 2 months) | 200 SAR | Royal Decree fee, unchanged since January 2023. Non-refundable. |
| Single exit/re-entry - per additional month (inside Saudi Arabia) | 100 SAR | Per month added at extension time while still inside the Kingdom. |
| Single exit/re-entry - per additional month (outside Saudi Arabia) | 200 SAR | Per month added while extending from abroad - twice the inside-Kingdom rate. |
| Multiple exit/re-entry visa (up to 3 months) | 500 SAR | Royal Decree fee, unchanged since January 2023. |
| Multiple exit/re-entry - per additional month (inside Saudi Arabia) | 200 SAR | Per month added at extension time while still inside the Kingdom. |
| Multiple exit/re-entry - per additional month (outside Saudi Arabia) | 400 SAR | Per month added while extending from abroad - twice the inside-Kingdom rate. |
| Absher processing service fee (extension) | 103.50 SAR | Per extension transaction from January 2025. Separate line on SADAD. |
| Final exit visa - government fee | 0 SAR | Free as a government fee. Always check Absher's fee summary screen for any updates. |
| Absher processing service fee (final exit) | Unconfirmed SAR | The final exit visa carries no government fee. Some guides report an Absher processing service fee for final exits, but no figure could be verified against Jawazat or Absher's own published schedule - check the SADAD bill line before paying. |
| Outstanding fines (must be cleared before any exit) | Varies SAR | Every Muroor, Jawazat, municipal, and labour-court fine must be cleared through SADAD before the exit visa is issued. |
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How do I apply for Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) step by step?
The end-to-end flow for Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) in KSA. Total wall-clock time: Single or multiple exit/re-entry visa: issued instantly on Absher once SADAD payment posts (within minutes). Extension inside Saudi Arabia: same-day. Extension abroad: same-day if Absher access works from your location. Final exit visa (worker self-issued through Absher Individuals): 10 working days for the employer's objection window, then immediate issuance. Sponsor-issued final exit: same-day..
- 1
Pre-check Iqama, fines, and remaining validity
Open Absher Individuals > My Services > Iqama and confirm Iqama expiry. Then under Services > Traffic > Query Traffic Violations and Services > Iqama Violations, settle every Muroor and Jawazat fine through SADAD. For a final exit, also confirm there are no vehicles still registered to your Iqama (transfer or de-register on Absher) and no active CCHI gaps. The Iqama must have at least 30 days remaining for a final exit issuance.
⏱ Same day📍 online - 2
Choose single or multiple exit/re-entry
Open Absher > Services > Visa Services > Issue Exit Re-entry Visa. Pick single (one trip, up to 2 months, SAR 200 base) or multiple (multiple trips inside the validity, up to 3 months, SAR 500 base). Pick the start date and duration. The system caps the validity at the lesser of the requested duration or the remaining Iqama validity - if your Iqama expires in 4 months, the maximum visa is 4 months.
⏱ 10 minutes📍 online - 3
Pay through SADAD
On the confirmation screen, copy the SADAD bill code (the bill includes the visa fee plus the SAR 103.50 Absher processing fee for extension transactions; for final exits the visa itself carries no government fee, so check the bill line for any processing fee before paying). Pay through your bank app's SADAD payments option. The visa is issued instantly in the Absher Visa Services screen - download the PDF for travel use.
⏱ 5 minutes📍 online - 4
Extend while inside Saudi Arabia (if travel plans shift)
Before the visa expires, open Absher > Visa Services > Extend Exit Re-entry Visa. Pick the number of additional months: SAR 100/month for single, SAR 200/month for multiple. Pay through SADAD. The extension applies from the current visa expiry date. Extensions are cheaper inside Saudi Arabia than abroad, so plan extensions before flying out if possible.
⏱ 10 minutes📍 online - 5
Extend while abroad (twice the per-month cost)
Open Absher Individuals from abroad (or ask the sponsor to extend via Absher Business / Muqeem). Single-visa extension while abroad: SAR 200/month. Multiple-visa extension while abroad: SAR 400/month. Plus the SAR 103.50 Absher processing fee. The Iqama validity still caps the maximum extension - if the Iqama expires while you are abroad, the exit/re-entry visa also expires.
⏱ 15 minutes📍 online - 6
Issue a final exit visa through Absher Individuals (post-LRI 2021)
Workers in the private sector whose contract has ended or expired can self-file a final exit on Absher > Visa Services > Final Exit Visa. The employer receives a notification and has 10 working days to object on legal grounds only. The final exit visa carries no government fee; check the SADAD bill line for any Absher processing service fee before paying. Once the 10-day window passes without objection, the final exit is issued, valid for a maximum of 60 days (or the remaining Iqama validity, whichever is shorter).
⏱ 10 days for employer window📍 online - 7
Sponsor-issued final exit (alternative path)
When the employer files the final exit on behalf of the worker through Absher Business, there is no objection window - the visa issues immediately. The final exit visa carries no government fee; the employer should check the SADAD bill line for any Absher processing service fee before paying. This is the standard path when the contract is ending amicably or when the worker is being repatriated for cause.
⏱ Same day📍 online - 8
Settle all pre-exit obligations before flying
Before departing on a final exit, confirm: every Muroor and Jawazat fine cleared through SADAD; no vehicles still in your name on Istimara; no active CCHI insurance gap (some final exits require an insurance status check); dependents either departing with you or transferred to a new sponsor (their dependent Iqamas cannot survive your final exit). Final exit visas are not cancellable once issued in most cases - confirm with Jawazat through Absher support if a cancellation is needed.
⏱ Same day📍 online - 9
Check visa status before flying
Always confirm the visa is active on Absher > Visa Services within 24 hours of flying. Cross-check on the Muqeem visa-validity portal at vv.muqeem.sa using Iqama + passport. Carry the printed PDF and the digital Absher visa on your phone - airport Jawazat checks both. If anything shows as 'expired' or 'invalid', resolve before check-in; the boarding pass will be blocked if Jawazat does not see a valid exit.
⏱ 10 minutes📍 online
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Which portal do I use for Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) in KSA?
These official portals handle Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) for KSA. Each page on Wathim has the login flow, common errors and sibling fallback when one is down.
Issue, extend, and view single, multiple, and final exit visas; pay fees through SADAD; check visa status.
Portal guide →Employer-side platform for sponsor-issued exits and final exits; visa-validity confirmation at vv.muqeem.sa.
Portal guide →Holds the employment contract that determines whether a worker can self-file a final exit under LRI 2021.
Portal guide →Used if a labour-court action is open and needs to be cleared before a final exit can issue.
Portal guide →SSO required to issue exit-re-entry visas inside Absher and Muqeem.
Portal guide →💡 Typing centres are not typically needed for exit/re-entry visas because Absher handles the full flow on a smartphone. They are useful in two edge cases: when a worker needs help paying multiple visas for a family of 4-5 dependents on the same day through SADAD and wants a single consolidated bill; and when a final exit is being filed for a worker who has lost Absher access (forgotten password, lost SIM) and needs walk-in help re-activating the account at a kiosk while a typist drafts the SADAD payments. Expect SAR 50-150 in service fees per visa.
How do I renew Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) and what are the penalties?
Exit/re-entry visas do not 'renew' in the renewal sense - they are issued on demand and extended on demand. The maximum validity of any extension is capped by the remaining Iqama validity. If the Iqama is renewed for a longer period (1 or 2 years) the next exit/re-entry visa can also span a longer period. Final exit visas are issued for a maximum of 60 days; if the worker does not depart in that window, the visa expires and a new one has to be requested. Plan exit and Iqama renewal sequencing carefully - if the Iqama expires while abroad on an exit/re-entry, the visa also expires and the worker may need a new entry process to return.
Fines & penalties
- ⚠Returning after the exit/re-entry visa expires while abroad (pre-mid-2025): triggered an automatic 3-year re-entry ban; this ban has been removed as of 2026
- ⚠Returning after the exit/re-entry visa expires while abroad (2026): no automatic ban, but the residence is forfeit and a new work visa must be issued
- ⚠Late return inside Saudi Arabia (overstaying the exit/re-entry validity by returning late): SAR 1,000 fine plus possible Iqama renewal block until cleared
- ⚠Final exit visa with vehicles still in your name: re-entry blocked until the cars are de-registered or transferred
- ⚠Final exit visa with dependents still on your sponsorship: dependents are forced into exit too, or sponsorship must be transferred to a new sponsor before your departure
- ⚠Departing on a final exit with unresolved labour court actions: the case continues in absentia and any judgment becomes a re-entry block
- ⚠Issuing an exit visa with an expired CCHI policy: in some cases triggers a separate CCHI fine against the employer up to SAR 1,000
- ⚠Cancellation of an exit/re-entry visa before use: fees are non-refundable (Jawazat confirmed position) and the Absher SAR 103.50 service fee is also non-refundable
What goes wrong with Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) applications?
These failures repeat across every Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) case Wathim sees in KSA. Catch them before submitting to save a counter rejection.
- !Forgetting that the Iqama validity caps the exit-visa validity - if your Iqama expires in 30 days, you cannot get a 90-day multiple-entry visa
- !Extending while abroad without realising it is twice the per-month cost - extend before you fly out if you can
- !Letting the exit/re-entry expire while abroad in 2022-2024 and believing a 3-year ban still applies - the automatic ban was removed in mid-2025, but documentation around it is inconsistent across embassies, so confirm before booking flights
- !Cancelling an exit visa before using it and expecting a refund - the SAR 200/500 government fee and the SAR 103.50 Absher processing fee are both non-refundable
- !Filing a final exit with vehicles still registered to your Iqama - the system blocks the issuance until Istimara is transferred or de-registered
- !Filing a final exit with dependents still on your Iqama - they must either depart with you or be transferred to a new sponsor before the final exit issues
- !Assuming a final exit is cancellable once issued - there is no clear official source that it can be cancelled after issuance; treat it as final
- !Not carrying the printed PDF in addition to the digital Absher view - airport Jawazat sometimes asks for paper in case of system outage
Where can I file Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) in person in KSA?
Jawazat centres handle this directly.
Frequently asked questions about Exit and Re-Entry Visa (Khurooj wa Awda) in KSA
Single-entry exit/re-entry: SAR 200 base for up to 2 months, plus SAR 100/month inside Saudi Arabia or SAR 200/month abroad for additional months. Multiple-entry exit/re-entry: SAR 500 base for up to 3 months, plus SAR 200/month inside or SAR 400/month abroad for additional months. On top of these government fees, the Absher processing service fee is SAR 103.50 per extension transaction from January 2025. The final exit visa itself carries no government fee, and no processing-fee figure for final exits could be verified against Jawazat or Absher's own published schedule - some guides report one, so check the SADAD bill line before paying. All confirmed fees are non-refundable if the visa is cancelled before use - Jawazat's confirmed position.
Yes, as of mid-2025. Until then, an expired exit/re-entry visa while abroad triggered an automatic 3-year re-entry ban that blocked any new work visa. The reform removed that catch-all ban, so workers who got trapped abroad by paperwork delays in 2022-2024 can now apply for fresh work visas through normal channels. Re-entry bans still apply for deportation cases (3 years to permanent, depending on severity), criminal violations, unresolved 'Absent from Work' flags, and major overstays. Confirm your specific status on my.gov.sa or via the Saudi embassy in your country before booking flights.
Yes, through Absher Individuals (using your Saudi mobile OTP from abroad) or by asking your sponsor to extend via Absher Business / Muqeem. The catch is cost: extensions abroad are exactly twice the per-month cost of extensions inside Saudi Arabia. Single-entry abroad extension: SAR 200/month. Multiple-entry abroad extension: SAR 400/month. Plus the SAR 103.50 Absher service fee. The extension cannot exceed your remaining Iqama validity - if the Iqama expires while you are abroad, the exit/re-entry visa also expires.
A final exit visa (Khurooj Nihai) permanently ends Saudi residency and cancels the Iqama on departure. The government fee is SAR 0 (free); no Absher processing fee for final exits could be verified against Jawazat or Absher's own published schedule, though some guides report one, so check the SADAD bill line before paying. Issuance requires: cleared traffic and Jawazat fines; no active labour disputes; no vehicles still registered in your name; passport with 60+ days remaining; Iqama with 30+ days remaining; dependents either departing or transferred to a new sponsor. Under LRI 2021, a worker can self-file the final exit on Absher Individuals if the contract has ended; the employer has 10 working days to object on legal grounds only. Sponsor-issued final exits issue immediately. The visa is valid for up to 60 days from issuance.
No clear official source confirms cancellation is allowed after issuance. Common practice in 2026 suggests final exit visas are treated as effectively non-cancellable once processed - the Iqama is already flagged for cancellation on departure, the work permit is closed on Qiwa, and the sponsor has 10 days to act on the cancellation. If your circumstances change after issuance but before departure, raise the case through Absher support or directly at a Jawazat office, but do not assume it will be cancelled. Plan the timing carefully.
Pre-mid-2025, this triggered an automatic 3-year re-entry ban that blocked any new work visa. As of 2026 the automatic ban has been removed, but the residence itself is still forfeit - your Iqama is cancelled and you have to come back on a new work visa through a sponsor who raises a fresh block-visa request on Qiwa. The end-of-service entitlement from the previous employer should be paid out separately. Any unpaid dependent levy on your account remains attached to your name and will appear on the new sponsor's records when the new Iqama issues.
For ordinary single or multiple exit/re-entry visas issued for a worker's personal travel, employers cannot legally block the issuance if the worker is in good standing (no fines, no Huroob, no overstayed dependents). For final exit visas, the employer has a 10-working-day window to object on legal grounds only under LRI 2021 - 'legal grounds' means a court case, an active labour dispute, unpaid sums owed by the worker, etc. The employer cannot block the final exit simply because they want the worker to stay. If the employer files a frivolous objection, the worker can challenge it through HRSD / Musaned and the SAR 20,000 false-Huroob penalty regime may apply by analogy.
Single and multiple exit/re-entry visas: issued instantly on Absher once SADAD payment posts (within minutes). Final exit visa filed by the sponsor through Absher Business: same-day. Final exit visa self-filed by the worker through Absher Individuals: 10 working days for the employer's objection window, then immediate issuance. Plan at least 24 hours of buffer before a flight - SADAD postings can occasionally lag at airport-scale loads, and you want time to confirm visibility in both Absher and the Muqeem visa-validity portal before checking in.
A single exit re-entry visa is SAR 200 for up to two months, then SAR 100 per extra month if extended inside KSA or SAR 200 per month outside KSA. A multiple is SAR 500 for up to three months, then SAR 200 per month inside or SAR 400 per month outside. Our Saudi exit re-entry fee calculator returns the total based on visa type, duration and whether extensions are applied from inside or outside the country.
