Changing planes in Saudi.... there for an hour, visa needed?
Cheapest flight i found to the States goes through Saudi. I have been told that if i am there for less than 18 hours i will not need a transit visa, but i don't know if this is true - can someone help me out?
I would really not like to end up in a Saudi jail for Christmas....
the embassy isn't giving me any answers.
ha ha, thanks for the help!
Actually, it might be fun to go through a Saudi Transit lounge with a couple of those handy plastic half-bottles that Qatar duty-free sell. I have pleasant visions of some matawa flinging the bottles to the ground in righteous rage, and seeing them bounce harmlessly. Anyone ever tried that?
KLM & BA both stop in Saudi between Qatar & Europe, and there's never a problem with visa, as there shouldn't be if you're not going through their immigration. The airline should be able to tell you, as they have a legal responsibility to avoid carrying unwelcome aliens.
A problem you perhaps haven't thought of is booze. I've heard stories of transit passengers'duty-frees being smashed by abusive Saudi matawas with nothing better to do.
I travel in and out of Saudi on a weekly basis. I sometimes travel through there on the way back to the uk on the KLM flight. It stops for an hour or so. As long as you are in transit and you don't leave the airport you shouldn't need any visa.
The Saudi's are terrible when it comes to visas - they have no sympathy and are not willing to listen to reason. I wouldn't risk going to their "Kingdom" unless I was certain about the protocol...