Romanian nationals travelling to Saudi Arabia to qualify for multiple-entry visas

Romanian nationals traveling to Saudi Arabia will qualify for one-year multiple-entry tourist visas, Saudi Ambassador in Bucharest Abdulaziz M. Al Aifan said on Friday.

The diplomat explained that Romania is one of 38 European countries, out of a total of 49, included in the first phase of the Saudi Arabia opening up to tourism.

Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it will begin issuing, for the first time, tourist visas as part of efforts to diversify its sources of income, currently totally dependent on oil, according to the AFP and DPA news agencies.

One of the goals of this approach, said Abdulaziz M. Al Aifan, is making the kingdom less dependent on oil resources. At the same time, the target is for tourism in 2030 to contribute 10 percent to the formation of Saudi Arabia's Gross Domestic Product.

According to the ambassador, in the new context, the response to those applying for a visa from the countries included in the programme can come in one hour at the longest, after an online form is filled in. Application processing at the Embassy is estimated at maximum two days. The visa fee is approximately 120 US dollars.

Among the tourist attractions presented by the Saudi Arabia's Embassy are five sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Red Sea Coast, and the Rub Al-Khali Desert.