Middle East · Capital: Riyadh
Saudi Arabia السعودية
"The land of the Haramain"
currency
Saudi Riyal (SAR), pegged 3.75/USD
1 USD ≈ 3.75 SAR
timezone
GMT+3
language
Arabic; English in business & compounds
muslim Percent
~93% of residents
flight Time
~12.5 hrs from NYC
climate
Desert; mild winters, 110°F+ summers
Easy to visit, and life near the Haramain is priceless — but staying requires a job, a scholarship, or serious capital.
Tourist entry
US citizens can get the tourist eVisa online in minutes (~SAR 535 / $142, includes health insurance): multiple entry, valid 1 year, up to 90 days per visit. A 5-year multiple-entry visit visa also exists for US passport holders (up to 180 days per stay, covers Umrah outside Hajj season) — but it is a sticker visa that only certain embassies will issue, so you may need to use a licensed visa agency to obtain it.
Long stay / nomad / residency
There is no digital nomad visa. Long-term routes are: employment (Iqama residence via employer), Premium Residency (~$26,000/year or ~$213,000 one-time), or study scholarships.
Student pathways
Serious option: scholarships at the Islamic University of Madinah, Umm al-Qura (Makkah) and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud (Riyadh) include residency, a stipend, and sometimes family support.
Work pathways
The realistic door for most families — a spouse's employment contract brings the whole family on dependent Iqamas, often with housing and school allowances.
Health insurance: The tourist eVisa fee already includes compulsory medical insurance. Residents (Iqama) must be insured; employers arrange it as part of sponsorship.
Always confirm current rules with the destination's embassy or consulate — visa policies change.
Mom's unfiltered take
Would I move my kids to Saudi Arabia?
Living near the Haramain is a spiritual experience nothing else on this list can touch — hearing 'hayya alas-salah' and actually answering it, every single day. But be honest with yourself: there is no easy visa, bureaucracy runs on wasta and patience, and the summer is a furnace. If Allah opens a door here — a job, a scholarship — take it. If not, visit for umrah and let the longing do its work.
What I love
- Praying in the Two Haramain as your local masjids
- Extremely safe, family-first society
- 100% halal everything, zero checking labels
- Tax-free salaries with family benefits
- Scholarship route for serious students
What I warn you about
- No easy long-term visa for independent families
- Extreme summer heat
- Bureaucracy can be opaque and slow
- Less personal freedom than any other country on this list
Mom's scorecard
Scores are one mother's honest judgment from research and community experience — your family's fit may differ. Make istikhara, then verify.
