Frequently asked questions

Smooth Travel is a Saudi travel and visa services agency based in Jeddah, registered as AL-SAFAR SALAS For travel and tourism (Commercial Registration 4030514176). We prepare visa files, book biometrics appointments, and issue e-visas for Saudi citizens and residents of the Kingdom, and we have completed more than 1,500 Schengen files since 2023. Our only official website is smothtravel.com and our only official number is 0561617778.

Choose the service on the website, upload a photo of your passport and ID/residence permit, and pay online — we start preparing your file within 24 hours. If you have a question before ordering, message us on WhatsApp at 0561617778.

Payment is made online through the website by card, and installment payment via Tamara is available for all services. We never ask for transfers to personal accounts.

Via WhatsApp at 0561617778 or by email at info@smothtravel.com. Website orders are received around the clock, and we reply during working hours.

No, and no one can guarantee it. The final decision rests with the embassy or the government authority. Our role is to prepare a complete, well-organized file that reduces the common reasons for rejection, and to follow up with you until you receive it.

Embassy fees are non-refundable on rejection in every country. Our service fees depend on the visa type and are stated in our refund policy. For Schengen: if your file is with us, we rebuild it free of charge for reapplication or appeal. For Azerbaijan (residents): we waive our service fee. For Indonesia (residents): 80% of the amount is refunded. Details are on the refund policy page.

Because it changes everything: a Saudi citizen is visa-exempt for many countries (Turkey, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Georgia, China, the GCC states), while a resident of Saudi Arabia needs a visa for most of them. The documents differ too (a resident needs a valid residence permit and an exit/re-entry visa).

A single visa that admits you to 29 European countries (including France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria and Portugal) and allows a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It is not electronic — it requires attending in person to give biometrics at the visa center.

4 to 10 working days after biometrics, depending on the embassy, and the biometrics appointment itself is usually within one to two weeks. Italy is often the fastest (5–7 days), France 7–15, Germany 10–15. We recommend applying 4–6 weeks before travel. (You may apply up to 6 months before travel.)

Our service fee is 199 ريال to prepare the file plus 150 ريال to book the embassy appointment. The official visa fee is paid at the visa center on the biometrics day: €90 for an adult and €45 for a child aged 6 to 12, and free under 6 (charged in SAR at the center's rate, plus the center's service fee).

The visa application form, travel insurance, hotel booking, flight booking, translation, cover letter, and the biometrics appointment — all within 24 hours. You attend the biometrics yourself with the printed file.

A passport valid at least 3 months after return (6 preferred), issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages; two 3.5×4.5 cm photos on a white background; a salary certificate in English addressed to the embassy (private sector attested by the Chamber of Commerce); a 3–6 month bank statement in English, stamped; and medical insurance with €30,000 coverage (we provide it within the file).

A residence permit valid at least 3 months after your return date, a work contract or commercial registration, and an exit/re-entry visa. The rest of the documents are the same as for a citizen.

There are three accepted routes and one is enough: (1) a salary certificate with a four-month statement for the account the salary is paid into; (2) a commercial registration with a four-month bank statement for that same registration; (3) a sponsor who covers the trip, who must be employed and a first-degree relative: father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, husband or wife. Homemakers, students and retirees usually apply through the third route.

There is no single official figure, but the practical norm is a balance that covers the trip's cost: roughly SAR 15,000 or more, or about SAR 1,500 per day of stay. More important than the number is a 3–6 month statement with normal activity and a regular salary, without large sudden deposits before applying.

Yes, biometrics is in person and mandatory at accredited visa centers (VFS Global, TLScontact or BLS depending on the embassy) in Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar. Biometrics are kept on file for 59 months, so if you gave them for Schengen within that period you usually don't need to repeat them. There is currently no home biometrics service.

The correct embassy is that of the country where you'll spend the longest time, or — if the durations are equal — the first country you enter. Applying to the wrong embassy is a rejection reason. We determine the correct embassy while preparing your file and check appointment availability at that time.

Possible for a Saudi citizen, because the "cascade" system lets GCC nationals get a long-term multiple-entry visa even on a first application, provided a passport valid long enough, a strong financial file, and a clean travel history. The decision is the embassy's, and the 90-days-in-180 rule still applies.

You have two options: appeal within the period stated in the refusal letter (usually 30 days), or reapply with a corrected file. If your file was with us, we rebuild it free of charge.

EES is an electronic entry/exit system, fully operational at Schengen borders since 10 April 2026: it records your fingerprints and a facial image the first time you enter, replacing the passport stamp, and it applies to you as a Saudi or resident (no prior registration and no fee). ETIAS, on the other hand, is a travel authorization for visa-exempt nationalities only and has not started yet (no official date announced as of September 2026) — and since a Saudi needs a Schengen visa anyway, ETIAS does not apply.

Tourist B1/B2 for 1153 ريال, medical B2 for 1153 ريال, and student F1 for 2325 ريال. This includes filling out the DS-160, creating the account and paying the fees, booking the nearest interview slot, reviewing documents, and coaching on the consul's questions.

Yes, an in-person interview at the embassy in Riyadh or the consulate in Jeddah or Dhahran. The interview wait ranges from one week to two months depending on demand (Dhahran is often faster), and processing after the interview takes from 3 days to a month.

The B1/B2 tourist visa for Saudis is usually issued for up to 10 years with multiple entry, and the length of each stay is set by the border officer (often up to 6 months).

A Saudi doesn't need a traditional visa for a short visit, but must obtain the electronic travel authorization (ETA) before travelling — without it you can't board the plane. It's valid for two years or until the passport expires (whichever comes first), with multiple entry and stays of up to 6 months each. We issue it for you for 149 ريال within 3 working days.

The ETA is an electronic authorization for tourism and short visits for eligible nationalities (including Saudi Arabia and the GCC states). The traditional UK visa is for study, work and long stays, and for those not eligible for the ETA.

A 30-day electronic tourist visa for 445 ريال, issued within 3–5 working days and used within 60 days. You need a Saudi residence permit valid 3+ months, a passport valid 6+ months, and a personal photo on a white background.

Yes, multiple-entry for 5199 ريال. Conditions: a salary of at least USD 4,000, an employment letter, a stamped 6-month salary statement, a photo of the insurance card, and a personal photo. Issuance takes 5–15 days, and you must enter the UAE within 60 days of issuance.

Through the GCC Residents Visa for holders of approved professions: valid up to 90 days with a stay of up to 30 days. We handle it fully for 1475 ريال. You need a passport valid 6+ months and a GCC residence permit valid 3+ months.

Usually yes (a Saudi is exempt). Oman: a 30-day e-visa issued within 1–3 working days for 290 ريال. Qatar: it depends on your profession — either on arrival or a pre-obtained "Hayya" visa, and we determine the right path for you for 439 ريال.

No. A Saudi is exempt from a Turkey visa and may stay up to 90 days with a passport valid 6 months. A resident in Saudi Arabia needs an e-visa depending on their nationality — we issue it within 24–48 hours for 200 ريال.

No — from 11 May 2026 a Saudi enters Russia visa-free for up to 90 days. A resident in Saudi Arabia needs an e-visa (stay of up to 16 days) issued within 4–7 working days for 295 ريال.

Thailand: no, a Saudi enters visa-free — but Thailand ended the extended 60-day exemption, and from 15 September 2026 plan for 30 days (extendable by 30 days from inside Thailand), and you must complete the TDAC digital arrival card free of charge within 72 hours before arrival. Indonesia (Bali): a Saudi needs a visa on arrival (e-VOA, IDR 500,000, 30 days) plus the Bali tourism levy and the All Indonesia form. A resident needs a visa: Thailand electronic for 410 ريال, and Indonesia for 1249 ريال.

India is an e-Visa issued within 3–5 working days. What's new: from 1 April 2026 the electronic e-Arrival Card became mandatory for all foreigners and is filled within the last 72 hours before arrival. Our service for 150 ريال includes the visa plus filling the arrival card and sending the QR code to your WhatsApp.

Yes — Japan offers an e-visa (JAPAN eVISA) for Saudis without an interview: single entry, valid 3 months from issuance, with a stay of up to 90 days. It is issued within 5–7 working days for 705 ريال. Note: the government visa fee rose on 1 July 2026, and when boarding you must open the visa notice from the website while online — a screenshot is not accepted.

Vietnam is electronic, issued within 3–5 working days (stay up to 30 days) for 300 ريال. Azerbaijan: a Saudi is temporarily visa-exempt from 15 February 2026 to 15 February 2027 (up to 30 days per visit), and after that an ASAN e-visa which we issue for 150 ريال. A resident in Saudi Arabia needs an Azerbaijan visa based on their nationality — we issue it for 702 ريال.

A document recognized under the international road traffic conventions, accepted in more than 150 countries and valid for one year. It is issued within 24 hours (a digital copy immediately and the original shipped to you) for 169 ريال. You need your valid Saudi licence (citizen or resident) and a personal photo. Note: the international permit does not replace your Saudi licence — carry both together.

Yes — an official translation with a certified stamp and a statement of conformity, accepted by embassies and official bodies (ID, residence permit, family card, salary certificate, commercial registration and others). It reaches you within 24 hours for 50 ريال per document.

A genuine temporary flight reservation with a booking reference (PNR) attached to the visa application, instead of buying a full ticket before you know the visa result. It reaches you within 24 hours for 45 ريال. Embassies ask for a "reservation," not a paid ticket.

An official letter proving that you cover the travel costs of accompanying family members (spouse, children), or a guardian's consent for a child to travel with another person. Embassies usually require it for non-working applicants and minors. It reaches you within 24 hours.

The safe rule: at least 6 months from the entry date for most countries. Schengen requires 3 months after leaving Europe (6 preferred) and a passport issued within the last 10 years. An under-validity passport is one of the most common reasons for being denied boarding.

It varies by country, and most are free from the official website (beware of middleman sites that charge fees). Current examples: Thailand TDAC within 72 hours, India e-Arrival within 72 hours, Singapore SG Arrival Card within 3 days, Malaysia MDAC within 3 days, Indonesia All Indonesia, Korea K-ETA before travel, Japan Visit Japan Web (optional and recommended), UK ETA, New Zealand NZeTA plus the NZTD declaration, South Africa's electronic traveller declaration, and Europe's EES registration on first entry (no prior form).

In the European Union you must declare any amount of €10,000 or more on entry or exit. In Saudi Arabia you must declare SAR 60,000 or more on departure or arrival. Check the country you're travelling to before you go.

For Schengen, yes: medical insurance with at least €30,000 coverage for the entire trip and all Schengen countries — it is included in our file. For other countries it is usually not mandatory but strongly recommended.

We review conditions, fees and entry requirements monthly from official sources, and the last review date is shown at the top of the page. If you notice a piece of information has changed, let us know on WhatsApp at 0561617778.