- Turkey and Saudi Arabia waived short-term visa requirements for diplomatic and special passport holders on May 6, 2026.
- The agreement specifically targets official travel documents and does not apply to holders of ordinary passports.
- Both nations have approved the measure, though specific implementation timelines and stay durations are currently pending.
(TURKEY, SAUDI ARABIA) – Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a visa exemption agreement on May 6, 2026, waiving short-term visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports and special passports.
The deal covers short-term visits by eligible passport holders from both countries. Announcements on May 6, 2026 described it as a mutual waiver, with Turkey signing the agreement and Saudi Arabia approving it through its Council of Ministers on the same date.
The measure applies to official travel documents, not to ordinary passports. The announcements identified the eligible categories as diplomatic passports and special passports, a document class also described in some contexts as “service passports“.
Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers approved what was described as a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Exemption from Short-Term Visas. Turkey completed the signing on the same day, creating matching action on both sides of the bilateral arrangement.
The agreement adds a new layer to travel between the two regional powers by removing visa requirements for a narrow group of state-linked travelers rather than the broader public. No announcement extended the exemption to regular passport holders, and no broader visa waiver was announced.
Short-term visits are covered, but the announcements did not set out the exact duration allowed under the exemption. They also did not spell out whether the permitted stay will be measured in days, weeks or by another formula used in bilateral entry rules.
That leaves the scope clear in one respect and narrow in another. Holders of diplomatic passports and special passports fall within the deal; ordinary travelers do not, based on the announcements issued on May 6, 2026.
As of May 7, 2026, neither side had announced an implementation timeline or a separate effective date beyond the signing and approval. The public statements also did not outline transitional arrangements for travelers who may already have visas or trips planned under earlier procedures.
The absence of a published start date means eligible travelers still need to confirm how border authorities will apply the exemption in practice. Entry protocols, passport checks and any additional documentary requirements remain matters to verify before departure.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia each maintain separate foreign ministry channels that handle entry rules and consular guidance. Travelers using diplomatic passports or special passports can check current instructions with Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs before travel.
That step matters most for officials or delegations traveling on tight schedules. A visa exemption agreement can remove the need to apply for a visa, but border officials still examine passport validity, traveler status and the category of document presented at entry.
Special passports can be especially sensitive to verification because naming conventions differ across countries and announcements. In this case, the exemption covers special passports, which the public description also linked to “service passports” in some contexts, making document classification a practical point for travelers and agencies arranging official visits.
No announcement published by May 7, 2026 set out technical implementation steps such as carrier guidance, airport notification procedures or transitional measures for missions already preparing travel. None set out whether the visa exemption takes effect immediately at all ports of entry or after internal administrative notice.
That leaves embassies, ministries and official travelers waiting for procedural clarity even after the political decision was recorded. The agreement itself marks a bilateral easing of entry rules, while the operating details still sit with the authorities that check passports and admit travelers.
The change is narrow but concrete. It creates a mutual waiver for short-term travel by holders of diplomatic passports and special passports between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, signed and approved on May 6, 2026, with broader implementation details still to be confirmed through the two countries’ foreign ministry channels.
