Saudi visa · Visit visa
Visit visa status check: family and personal
A Saudi family visit visa status check and a personal visit visa status check use the same portal and the same search screen, but they are not the same journey. The sponsor inside the Kingdom sees one view of the request, and the travelling family member or friend sees another. This page lines both views up, then walks through every stage a visit visa application passes through, from the moment it is submitted to the moment it is issued.
Portal steps last verified 24 July 2026
How to check a family or personal visit visa status
Both visa types are tracked on the official MOFA Visa Platform. You enter your details on that government site, never on this page.
- Open the MOFA Visa Platform using the button below (it opens visa.mofa.gov.sa in a new tab).
- Find the application inquiry screen and choose your inquiry type: application number, visa document number or visa request number.
- Enter that reference number exactly as it appears on your submission receipt or invitation.
- Enter the matching ID or residence number the screen asks for, usually the sponsor’s iqama or ID.
- Type the verification code exactly as shown, since it is case sensitive.
- Read the result, which shows the current stage of the family or personal visit visa application.
You enter your details on visa.mofa.gov.sa, the government site, not here. Have your application number and ID number ready before you open it.
Family visit visa vs personal visit visa: what's different
A visit visa (تأشيرة زيارة) is a temporary visa allowing a family member or visitor to enter Saudi Arabia for a limited period. Saudi Arabia issues this under two main invitation categories, and a family visit visa status check and a personal visit visa status check both run through the same MOFA screen, just under a different application type. The table below sets out how the two differ before you even reach the status page.
| Point | Family visit visa | Personal visit visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | First-degree relatives: parent, spouse, child, sibling in some cases | A friend or acquaintance invited by a Saudi citizen |
| Who submits it | The resident or citizen sponsor, from inside the Kingdom | The Saudi citizen host, from inside the Kingdom |
| Proof required | Family relationship documents matching the sponsor's records | An invitation from the host, with the relationship explained |
| Where it is tracked | MOFA Visa Platform, family visit category | MOFA Visa Platform, personal or social visit category |
| Typical length of stay | Set by the visa issued; confirm the exact dates on your own document | Set by the visa issued; confirm the exact dates on your own document |
Neither category is checked on Absher by the traveller, since the applicant is not yet a Saudi resident. Absher only comes in on the sponsor's side, described next.
Sponsor view vs applicant view: who checks what
A visit visa has two people watching its progress, and each one sees it differently. Knowing which seat you are in tells you which login you need, if any, and what the result screen will show you.
| Sponsor or host (inside Saudi Arabia) | Applicant or traveller (abroad) | |
|---|---|---|
| How they sign in | Absher (أبشر) or Nafath (نفاذ) login on the MOFA Visa Platform | No account needed; searches by reference number instead |
| What they can do | Submit the request, track it, and see the full application history | Look up the status once the sponsor shares the reference number |
| What they need | Their own iqama or national ID, saved in their Absher profile | The application number, visa document number or visa request number, plus the ID number the sponsor used |
| If the status is stuck | Can see internal notes and re-submit missing documents | Can only wait or ask the sponsor to check the sponsor-side view |
In practice, this means the traveller should always ask the sponsor for the exact reference number straight after submission, since a status check with the wrong or missing number will not return a result at all.
What each visit visa status stage means
A family or personal visit visa moves through a short sequence of stages between submission and issue. The exact wording on screen can vary slightly, and some applications skip a stage, but this order is the common pattern reported on the MOFA Visa Platform.
| Stage | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Submitted | The sponsor's request has entered the system and received a reference number | Save the reference number; nothing else to do yet |
| Chamber of Commerce | Some invitation types pass through a chamber attestation checkpoint before MOFA reviews them | Wait; the sponsor can follow up with the chamber if this stage runs long |
| Under process | MOFA is actively reviewing the application; no decision has been made | Check again after a few days rather than resubmitting |
| Approved | MOFA has cleared the application; the visa is ready to be issued to the relevant mission or centre | Follow the next instruction shown, such as contacting the approved visa centre |
| Issued | The visit visa has been produced and is ready for collection or stamping | Confirm entry and validity dates on the visa document itself before travelling |
A status can also show as rejected or as returned for correction. Both mean MOFA needs the sponsor to act, either by resubmitting a document or by starting a fresh application, so check the sponsor-side view rather than only the applicant search.
MOFA visa platform vs the new KSA VISA
A the MOFA Visa Platform (منصة التأشيرات) is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs platform for issuing and checking visas applied for through Saudi missions and agents, now being unified under the KSA VISA platform. On our last check, the platform itself was promoting a beta version of a single replacement, the the unified KSA VISA platform (منصة تأشيرات المملكة) at ksavisa.sa, which the single Saudi visa platform bringing tourist eVisa, MOFA and other visa services under one entry point.
| Point | MOFA Visa Platform (visa.mofa.gov.sa) | KSA VISA (ksavisa.sa) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Live, current portal for family and personal visit visa applications | Beta, being rolled out as the unified replacement across visa types |
| Sponsor login | Absher or Nafath | Nafath |
| What we recommend | Use it now for a family or personal visit visa you already submitted here | Check whether your visa type has moved before starting a new application |
For a full field-by-field walkthrough of the MOFA screens in English, see our MOFA visa platform guide. If your relative is arriving on an already-issued visit visa and you want the exact expiry countdown instead of the application status, use our visit visa validity check tool.
If nothing is found, or your visit visa is rejected
A "no result found" message is usually a data problem, not a rejection. Work through these causes in order before assuming the worst.
- Wrong reference number: recheck every digit of the application, visa document or visa request number against the sponsor's receipt.
- Wrong ID number: confirm you used the same iqama or national ID the sponsor entered when submitting.
- Too soon: a submission made in the last day or two may not have reached the search index yet.
- Genuinely rejected: the sponsor's own logged-in view will show the reason, which the applicant-side search does not display.
Before travel, confirm the family member also meets the visit visa insurance requirement. See our visit visa insurance check for how that cover is verified. And if the visit is timed around a resident's own departure from Saudi Arabia, an end of service settlement is worth checking too, using our Saudi end of service calculator.
Visit visa status check: common questions
How do I check a family visit visa status check online?
Open the MOFA Visa Platform at visa.mofa.gov.sa, choose the inquiry type that matches what you have (application number, visa document number or visa request number), enter your ID or residence number, complete the verification code, then search. The result shows the current stage of the family member’s application.
What is the difference between a family visit visa and a personal visit visa?
A family visit visa covers first-degree relatives of a resident or citizen sponsor, such as a parent, spouse or child. A personal visit visa covers a friend or acquaintance invited by a Saudi citizen. Both are submitted and tracked on the same MOFA Visa Platform, but under different invitation categories.
Do I need Absher to check my visit visa status?
The sponsor inside Saudi Arabia usually signs in with Absher or Nafath to submit and manage the request. The traveller checking their own application from abroad does not need an Absher account. They search using the application number and their ID or passport number instead.
What does Chamber of Commerce mean on my visit visa status?
It means the sponsor’s invitation is at the attestation checkpoint that some invitation types pass through before reaching MOFA for review. It sits before “under process” in the sequence. If the status stays there for several days, the sponsor should follow up with the chamber directly.
What does under process mean for a visit visa application?
It means MOFA has received the application and is actively reviewing it, but no decision has been made yet. There is nothing to submit again at this stage. Check back after a few days rather than resubmitting, which can create a duplicate record and slow things down further.
Is the KSA VISA platform replacing MOFA for visit visas?
Saudi Arabia is unifying its visa services under the KSA VISA platform at ksavisa.sa, which the MOFA Visa Platform itself now promotes as its beta successor. Until that migration completes for your visa type, visa.mofa.gov.sa remains the working portal for family and personal visit visa status.
Why does my visit visa application show no result found?
A mistyped application, document or ID number is the most common cause, so recheck every digit first. A very recent submission may also not appear yet, since the record can take a short time to enter the system. If it still fails after that, ask the sponsor to confirm the reference number.
Keep going
More Saudi visa checks
This is part of our visa check hub, which lists the right official portal for every kind of visa, with exact steps and free tools. Sponsoring a relative and leaving the Kingdom yourself soon? Start with your end of service calculation.