The VFS Tasheel centre in Dubai no longer accepts walk-ins for individuals seeking business visit visas for Saudi Arabia. VFS Tasheel is the authorised visa agent for Saudi Arabia and allows individuals to apply for Saudi Arabian business visit visas in their country of residence. As a result of this recent development, all Dubai based visa applicants must first apply on VFS Tasheel's online portal and are required to procure a supporting letter from the Saudi Arabian sponsoring entity in Arabic only. Previously, supporting letters in English were also accepted.

Business visas in Saudi Arabia include the Commercial Visit Visa and the Work Visit Visa. Commercial Visit Visas allow business activities like attending meetings, engaging in negotiations, conducting research, among other activities, while Work Visit Visas allows more hands-on or technical work.

What This Means for Employers and Individuals