South African Consulate Jeddah

TRAVEL ADVISORY - REGIONAL SECURITY UPDATE

South African Embassy, Riyadh | Consulate General, Jeddah

The South African Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah are closely monitoring regional developments. South African citizens in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Sultanate of Oman are advised to exercise heightened caution.

Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption across the Gulf and wider Middle East.

As a precautionary measure, citizens are encouraged to:

- Avoid the vicinity of security or military installations, as well as entities with international affiliations that may be subject to increased risk.
- Monitor local and international media for the latest developments.
- Remain vigilant and strictly adhere to all guidance and instructions issued by local authorities.

Advisory to South African Citizens Performing Umrah

The Consulate General of South Africa in Jeddah wishes to inform all South African nationals performing Umrah of recent guidance issued by Saudi authorities.

Umrah pilgrims are reminded to:

• Depart the Kingdom before the official deadline (18 April 2026)
• Coordinate travel arrangements with authorised Umrah operators
• Arrive at the airport well in advance of departure (at least 4 hours prior)

Saudi authorities have reiterated that overstaying on an Umrah visa is a serious offence, which may result in fines, imprisonment, and/or deportation.

Additionally, residents and citizens are prohibited from assisting individuals who overstay their visas, with strict penalties applicable.

South African citizens are urged to comply fully with all visa conditions and local regulations to avoid legal consequences.

South African citizens in the affected areas are reminded to register with the South African Embassy/Consulate nearest to you as per their websites, as well as on the DIRCO Travel Smart App. Continue to monitor government platforms for any relevant information and updates.

[Update: South Africans residing in Oman, Bahrain, and Yemen can also now register their current location using the form below.]

Dear South African Citizens in Saudi Arabia,

We are aware of the recent developments and understand that this news may naturally raise concerns among our community. Please be assured that the Embassy and the Consulate are closely monitoring the situation.

At present, South Africans are advised to strictly adhere to any security directives issued by the host country authorities.

Due to the large number of members in the WhatsApp community and groups created earlier, an official WhatsApp broadcast channel has been created to ensure that important information can be communicated clearly and efficiently. Members are kindly requested to follow this channel via the link below for all official announcements:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbC8eBpFMqrbcBynsc1Y

Please note that any urgent announcements shared on this channel will also be communicated via Facebook to maximise reach.

South African citizens resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are encouraged to complete the following form to register their presence:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMxVw8-UJFMDB8x0cLfGzGkrrwEhDMdxHOGxjC1Cfb2V53mw/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Should you require emergency consular assistance, please contact:

Jeddah Mission: +966 56 244 5376
Riyadh Mission: +966 558 122 215

South African citizens who are based in South Africa and seeking information or assistance regarding loved ones in Saudi Arabia are kindly requested to direct their enquiries to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) headquarters in Pretoria:

DIRCO Helpline: +27 12 351 1000
Website: www.dirco.gov.za

Under the Constitutional Court ruling, citizens who lost their citizenship on or after 6 October 1995 are deemed not to have lost it.

Citizens can now lodge an online application on [email protected] to confirm citizenship status or initiate the reinstatement process.

AWARENESS!! Not every overseas job offer is genuine. Verify before you apply.

reminds all South Africans to scrutinise international job offers. Never travel without doing a background check on the company first.

​Stay informed. Stay safe. 🇿🇦
​🔗 www.dirco.gov.za

The South African Consulate General in Jeddah will close on 24 December 2025 and reopen on 4 January 2026.

In the event that South African citizens require emergency assistance, please call the duty number at +966 56 244 5376.

Writing in Arab News, Acting Consul General for the South African Consulate in Jeddah, Mr Imran Simmins, highlights the significance of and underscores the profound honor of welcoming and interacting with the pilgrims.

Honoring South Africa’s Islamic heritage through Hajj I had the honor of welcoming the first wave of pilgrims from South Africa who entered the Kingdom to embark on the sacred journey of Hajj on April 29. Prior to their departure, as they bade farewell to their families and loved ones, I knew they carried with them an overwhelming realization that this...

Acting Consul General Imran Simmins met Hajji G Essop (former Department of International Relations and Cooperation, SA official, ex-Youth Commissioner Western Cape and first fully disabled South African to perform ). He thanked the South African Government and all roleplayers. 🇿🇦🕋 The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

NOTICE OF CLOSURE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSULATE GENERAL IN JEDDAH, THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE EID HOLIDAYS

Closure will be from Thursday 5 June until Sunday, 8 June 2025 (inclusive).

Regular working hours will resume on Monday, 9 June 2025, as follows:

Consulate hours: 08:00 - 16:00
Consular Section: 09:00 - 12:00

Acting Consul General, Mr Imran Simmins, recently had the honour of meeting Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of SAUDIA AIRLINES الخطوط السعودية, to discuss possible future collaboration. Department of International Relations and Cooperation, SA