Saudi Arabia's Department of Passport (Jawazat) has announced Family Visit Visas, generally issued for periods of 30, 60, or 90 days, will no longer be able to be extended for more than 180 days. Family Visit Visas can generally be extended twice for periods similar to the initial period of stay (i.e. 90 day visas could allow for stays of 270 days). However, under the new ruling, Family Visit Visas may only be extended to a maximum of 180 days.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals

Despite the 180-day total stay restriction, Family Visit Visas are not residence permits in the traditional sense, and dependents may still be sponsored for Iqamas which permit longer-term residency and can be renewed when they expire.