Visas and Travel
General Information
All international travelers will need a valid passport and a visa to travel to Saudi Arabia (some exceptions may apply for GCC countries). A visa approval letter is required to obtain a visa stamp in the passport. To get a visa approval letter, the following steps must be taken:
- Degree candidates will submit a visa request form (and required documents) for their family members to commencement@kaust.edu.sa.
- Government Affairs Service Center (GASC) will send the visa approval letter to the student once it is obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This will happen after the Eid holiday in November 2011.
- The student's family members will then apply for a visa by sending the required paperwork (including passport, visa approval letter, visa application form and any other documents specified in the application) to the Saudi Embassy/Consulate that the student specified in the visa request form as the visa processing location.
Visa Process for Returning Degree Candidates
Applicable to degree candidates who are currently out-of-Kingdom and who have fulfilled all degree requirements to participate in the 2011 Commencement Ceremony: For all degree requirement information, please contact: David Micus, Registrar: david.micus@kaust.edu.sa or Scott Bray, Associate Registrar: scott.bray@kaust.edu.sa.
Information regarding visa process for returning students and their families:
- Send required documents (please see visa requirements below) for you and your family members (if applicable) to commencement@kaust.edu.sa.
- The Commencement team will send the visa approval letter to the returning student once it is obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This will happen after the Eid holiday in November 2011.
- Apply for the visa by sending the visa approval and the required paperwork (including passport, visa application form and any other documents specified in the application) to the Saudi Embassy/Consulate that was specified in the initial visa request form.
Visa Type and Validity
The unstamped visa will be valid for 30 days after the approval and before a single entry into Saudi Arabia. Once the visitor has entered Saudi Arabia and the visa is stamped, he or she will be allowed to stay up to 30 days. The stay period starts from the first day of entry into Saudi Arabia and must be within the validity period of the visa.
NOTICE: Visitor(s) must depart from Saudi Arabia on or before the last day that they are authorized to be in the country. Should a visitor stay beyond the authorized time limit, a five-year ban on travel into the Kingdom and a penalty of 10,000 SAR (USD 2,666.70) may be levied. Please note that every visitor to KAUST is required to visit GASC between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to register their passport information and check the validity of their visas.
Eligible Family Members
Each degree candidate may invite no more than six family members to Commencement, regardless of whether they live in Saudi Arabia or come from outside the Kingdom. Eligible family members are father, mother, sister, brother, wife, husband, child, and grandparents.
Passport Validity
Passports must have a minimum validity of six months on the date of arrival into the Kingdom to allow entry into Saudi Arabia. Also, passports should contain at least two empty pages adjacent to each other for the visa.
Visa Request Form
All visa request forms for family members wishing to attend the Commencement must be submitted to commencement@kaust.edu.sa by October 20, 2011.
Any forms submitted after this date will be declined. It is the degree candidate's responsibility to complete the visa request form for his/her family members.
Click here to access the document portal where you can download the Commencement Visitor Visa Request Form.
Visa Requirements
Required documents to request a visa for a family member:
The following documents must be sent along with the visa request form.
- Passport copy for each visitor
- Proof of relation (i.e., marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other) to family member
- Passport copy / or iqama copy of degree candidate (who is applying for the visa) Questions on visa application procedures and visa requirements should be directed to the Embassy or Consulate of the applicant's home country.
Visa Approval Letter
The visa approval letters obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will be sent to all eligible applicants after the Eid Al Adha holiday in November 2011.
For information regarding visas, please contact Government Affairs Service Center (GASC).
Email: gasc@kaust.edu.sa
Telephone Number: +966 (2) (808) 0970
Location: Administration Building (Building 16), level 2, office 2226
Travel Information
Travel Office on Campus
Kanoo Travel, located in Discovery Square (H-4305-B) on campus, offers the following travel services: assistance with flights (reservations, booking, and ticketing), hotel reservations, and car rental.
Opening Hours: Saturday - Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Closed on Friday.
Contact details: phone +99 (0)2 802-4111 or email: kaust-retail@jed.kanoosa.com
Flights
All visitors should travel to King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Travel Medical and Trip Insurance
It is strongly recommended that all visitors obtain travel medical insurance and travel insurance before travelling to Saudi Arabia. There are several international travel insurance companies that offer comprehensive coverage. Outpatient and Emergency Room care typically require cash payment.
Accommodations
One online resource to visit for hotels in Jeddah is hotelsinjeddah.com
Contact Us
If you have questions about 2011 Commencement, please contact: commencement@kaust.edu.sa