Saudi Arabia Sets Up 992 Helpline as Expired Visa Deadline Nears

Saudi Arabia has launched a single helpline, 992, for visitors whose visas have expired as the country moves closer to an April 18, 2026 deadline under a temporary relief program.

The measure is aimed at people who were unable to leave because of regional travel disruption.

The move does not create a new permanent visa policy. It is a support step tied to an existing temporary arrangement. The goal is to help affected travelers quickly understand what they need to do before the deadline, instead of leaving them to sort through different channels or incomplete information.

How the relief process works

Under the current rules, eligible travelers can ask their host to extend the visa through Saudi Arabia’s Absher platform after paying the required fees.

There is also a second route. Eligible visitors can leave Saudi Arabia directly through international departure points without extending the visa first and without paying overstay penalties, as long as they exit before April 18.

Regional conflict turns visa support into a travel operations issue

The situation is tied to the wider war involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted travel across the region.

Flight schedules have been affected, fuel prices have climbed sharply, and airlines are facing higher operating costs as a result. At the same time, the conflict has raised broader questions about how safe it is to fly through or near parts of the Middle East.

Photo by M Zaedm on Unsplash