Customs and immigration on a private flight to Saudi Arabia
Every private or charter flight needs a GACA landing permit, filed at least 72 hours ahead with full crew and passenger details. At the main airports, customs and immigration are cleared inside the private terminal.
- Landing permit
- GACA, at least 72 hours
- Main airports of entry
- Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam
- Tourist eVisa
- Up to 90 days
- Cash declaration
- SAR 60,000 or more
How arrival works
The operator needs a GACA landing permit, requested at least 72 hours ahead with full crew and passenger details. Each passenger needs a visa unless their nationality is exempt; citizens of the eligible countries can get a tourist eVisa online before the flight.
Landing permits come from GACA. Customs is run by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), and immigration by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat).
The operator and the ground handler arrange the permit and send passenger details ahead. Tell us every passenger's nationality when you ask for a quote so we can confirm visa needs before the flight is booked.
Sources:Universal Weather, 21 March 2025: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix business aviation planning guideSaudi Arabia official eVisa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi Tourism Authority), as read on 19 October 2026King Fahd International Airport (Dammam): passenger guide, customs
Landing permits and airports of entry
GACA requires a landing permit for all private and charter flights. A 2025 trade guide gives a minimum lead time of 72 hours, with confirmation on average three days before the flight. The request carries full crew and passenger details and the purpose of the flight.
GACA's fee for a temporary overflight and landing permit for a private aircraft on a foreign register is SAR 100, valid for 72 hours.
| Airport | Notes |
|---|---|
| King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah (OEJN) | Airport of entry, open 24 hours; no slots or prior permission needed for general aviation |
| King Khalid International, Riyadh (OERK) | Airport of entry, open 24 hours |
| King Fahd International, Dammam (OEDF) | Airport of entry, open 24 hours |
| Taif (OETF) | Often used as the airport of entry for trips to Makkah |
| AlUla International (OEAO) | See our AlUla page |
Smaller Saudi airports often have operating curfews. Airport details for Riyadh, Dammam and Taif come from a trade guide last updated in April 2022; we could not read the Saudi AIP GEN sections online. The operator confirms the permit and the airport on every flight.
Sources:Universal Weather, 21 March 2025: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix business aviation planning guideUniversal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (updated 11 April 2022)GACA: Regulatory framework for the charges for GACA services (items 5 and 120 to 123)
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Visas and documents
The crew and clearance points come from a trade guide last updated in April 2022. We could not read a Jawazat page on passport validity, so ask us or the embassy before you fly.
- Visitors from 68 eligible countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, can apply online for a tourist eVisa. If your country is not on the list, the portal says to contact the nearest Saudi embassy.
- The eVisa is a one-year, multiple-entry visa allowing stays of up to 90 days. It covers tourism and Umrah, but not Hajj, study or other activities.
- Arrival and departure cards are required and cannot be obtained in advance. Two to three copies of the general declaration are needed for each arrival and departure.
- Crew may arrive without visas for stays of up to 24 hours. Visas on arrival may be possible for crew, not passengers, for up to 72 hours.
- At the larger airports of entry, customs, immigration and quarantine are cleared in the private terminal, usually in 10 to 15 minutes.
Sources:Saudi Arabia official eVisa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi Tourism Authority), as read on 19 October 2026Universal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (updated 11 April 2022)
Customs declarations and alcohol on board
Alcohol on board must be stored in a sealed, numbered, locked bar before arrival and stay sealed on the ground. Security may search the aircraft, even on a technical stop, and you may need to leave the aircraft while they do.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Cash and valuables | Declare cash, jewellery, precious stones and other cash equivalents worth SAR 60,000 or more |
| Goods and gifts | Declare goods or gifts in commercial quantities worth more than SAR 3,000 |
| Tobacco | Over 200 cigarettes or 500 g counts as a commercial quantity and is subject to excise tax |
| Restricted items | Some goods need prior approval, for example certain medicines, drones and communication devices |
| How to declare | Nothing to declare: green track. Otherwise, the red track and a declaration form |
Rules as published by King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, which refers travellers to ZATCA's e-services. ZATCA's own traveller pages returned an error when we checked.
Sources:King Fahd International Airport (Dammam): passenger guide, customsUniversal Weather, 21 March 2025: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix business aviation planning guideUniversal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (updated 11 April 2022)
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistDo I need a visa to fly privately to Riyadh?+
Usually, yes. Citizens of 68 eligible countries can get a tourist eVisa online, valid for one year with stays of up to 90 days. Others apply through a Saudi embassy. The same rules apply on a private flight.
How much notice does a landing permit need?+
At least 72 hours. GACA issues the permit; the operator files it with full crew and passenger details.
How much cash can I bring into Saudi Arabia?+
You must declare cash, jewellery, precious stones and other cash equivalents worth SAR 60,000 or more.
Can there be alcohol on the aircraft?+
It must be sealed in a numbered, locked bar before arrival and stay sealed on the ground.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 19 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Universal Weather, 21 March 2025: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix business aviation planning guide
- 2.Saudi Arabia official eVisa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi Tourism Authority), as read on 19 October 2026
- 3.King Fahd International Airport (Dammam): passenger guide, customs
- 4.Universal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (updated 11 April 2022)
- 5.GACA: Regulatory framework for the charges for GACA services (items 5 and 120 to 123)
Permits and paperwork handled.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.