Article 12 of the Saudi Tourism Law

المادة 12 من نظام السياحة

The Ministry of Tourism issues tourist visa permits under controls agreed with the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, and the Regulations explain the procedures and mechanisms.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

تصدر الوزارة أذونات التأشيرات السياحية وفق ضوابط متفق عليها بينها وبين وزارتي الداخلية والخارجية. وتوضح اللائحة إجراءات وآليات إصدار أذونات التأشيرات السياحية.

This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers

Article 12 explained in plain English

This article sets the Ministry of Tourism's role in tourist visas. The wording is precise: the Ministry issues tourist visa permits; it does not say it issues the visa itself.

The key points:

Body: the Ministry of Tourism issues the permits.
Controls: under controls agreed between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, given that visas relate to entry, residence and foreign relations.
Procedures: the Regulations explain the procedures and mechanisms for issuing these permits.

The article does not set the conditions for obtaining the visa, its duration, the countries covered or its fees. These cannot be known from the text, but from the agreed controls and the Regulations.

This provision sits among the provisions on services for tourists, after Article 11 on the fee for the Ministry's services and before Article 13 on inspection.

Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.

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