Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement for Pakistan. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signed it on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
The Pakistan Saudi Arabia visa exemption is intended to make official travel easier and support greater interaction between government institutions.
Visa Waiver Does Not Cover Ordinary Passports
The new arrangement applies only to specific categories of official passports.
Diplomatic, official and special passport holders can benefit from the exemption under the agreement. However, ordinary passport holders are not covered by the new arrangement.
Therefore, Pakistani and Saudi citizens travelling on ordinary passports will continue to follow the applicable visa procedures.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry currently lists separate visa categories for diplomatic and official travel, highlighting the distinction between official and ordinary travel documents.
Ishaq Dar Highlights Easier Official Travel
Dar announced the agreement on social media following its signing in New York.
He said the international travel arrangement would facilitate official visits between the two countries.
The agreement is also expected to make high-level engagement and institutional exchanges easier.
Moreover, the arrangement comes as Islamabad and Riyadh continue to expand cooperation across diplomatic, economic and security matters.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation
The Pakistan Saudi Arabia visa exemption agreement adds another element to the countries’ long-standing bilateral relationship.
Officials from both countries have maintained regular high-level contacts throughout 2026.
In March, Dar and Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed regional and international developments and agreed to continue strengthening cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels.
The two countries have also continued consultations on regional security and other areas of mutual interest.
Makkah Defence Agreement Adds a Security Dimension
The visa agreement follows the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in August.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement aims to strengthen collective security cooperation among the three countries. It described the arrangement as defensive in nature and said it would support cooperation in areas including training, capacity building and defence technology.
The development has added a new formal framework to existing security cooperation between the participating countries.
What the Visa Agreement Means
The new Pakistan Saudi Arabia visa exemption is primarily designed for government and official travel.
By removing visa requirements for eligible passport holders, the agreement can simplify official visits, diplomatic engagements and institutional exchanges.
However, the arrangement does not create visa-free travel for all Pakistani and Saudi citizens.
For ordinary travellers, existing visa requirements remain applicable.
The agreement therefore represents a targeted travel facilitation measure focused on official exchanges between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
