Saudi Arabia: Business/trade

Commercial holidays

Eid-al-Fitr holidays (varies); Eid-al-Adha holidays (varies); Saudi National Day: September 23.

The Islamic calendar, based on the Hijra year of 12 lunar months, is followed. Variable holidays include (dates vary annually and also may vary by a day or two): Eid-al-Fitr, celebration breaking the fast of Ramadan: three day festival, customarily a ten day holiday; Eid-al-Adha, festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son Ishmael; Feast of the Sacrifice: four days, but commonly a ten day holiday; Birth of the Prophet.

Business is taken care of during night and evening hours during the month of Ramadan. Thursday and Friday are the normal weekend days off.

For more information on specific holidays, see Saudi Arabia Public & Bank Holidays.

Public holiday celebrations may cause delays in commercial transport of goods. It is best to check with your agent in the country about the extent of business stoppage during holidays.

For information on holidays worldwide, see: Holidays and Observances around the World.

(Last updated on 2024-01-01)

Major trade agreements

• League of Arab States (LAS), 1 Tahrir Sq., EG-11642 Cairo, Egypt; phone: +20 2 575 0511 and +20 2 575 2966; fax: +20 2 574 0331 and +20 257 61017
  • Purpose: to strengthen ties among the member countries, coordinate their policies, and promote their common interests.
  • Member countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
  • Observer status has been granted to: Brazil, Eritrea, India, and Venezuela.

• Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA)
  • It exempts member countries from import duties for goods with at least 40% local content.
  • 17 member countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunis, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
• Also known as: Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG).
• The purpose of the GCC is to achieve unity among its members based on their common objectives and their similar political and cultural identities.
• 6 member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• The UAE and Oman opted out of the monetary union, but are still members in the GCC. Yemen is in negotiations for GCC membership, and hopes to join by 2016. The council has established a common external tariff of 5% for most imported goods.
• European Free Trade Association (EFTA): The EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) have signed a Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which entered into force on 01 Jul 2014.

• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
• OIC is an organization that helps to safeguard the interests of the Muslim world. This organization promotes international peace and harmony between various populations across the globe.
• 57 member countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

For additional information on trade agreements and rules of origin see: Rules of Origin Facilitator.

(Last updated on 2024-07-12)

Other treaties/conventions

• World Trade Organization (WTO), Center William Rappard, Rue de Lausanne 154, CH-1211 Geneva 21; phone: +41 22 739 5111; fax: +41 22 731 4206; email: enquiries@wto.org
  • Check list of all Regional Trade Agreements (RTA).
• World Customs Organization (WCO), Rue du Marché 30, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium; phone: +32 2 209 9211; fax: +32 2 209 9262
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Headquarters, 34 Chemin des Colombettes, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 338 9111; fax: +41 22 733 5428
• International Road Transport Union (IRU), Headquarters, La Voie-Creuse 16, POB 44, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 918 2700; email: iru@iru.org
  • Carnet TIR System: Convention on international transport of goods under cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention) for cross border international road transportation.
  • Saudi Arabia has acceded to the TIR Convention, which for Saudi Arabia entered into force on 17 Nov 2018.
• Convention on the Int'l Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora & Fauna (CITES), Secretariat, Int'l Environment House, 11 Chemin des Anémones, CH-1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 917 8139 and +41 22 917 8140; fax: +41 22 797 3417; email: info@cites.org
• World Health Organization (WHO), Headquarters, Dept. of Food Safety & Zoonoses (FOS), World Health Organization, Ave. Appia 20, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland; fax: +41 22 791 4807; email: foodsafety@who.int
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Education Outreach Cluster, Outreach Div., Dept. of Public Information, UN Headquarters, New York, NY 10017
• Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for Int'l Carriage by Air (Montreal Convention), IATA Head Office, 800 Place Victoria, POB 113, Montreal H4Z 1M1, Quebec, Canada; phone: +1 514 874 0202; fax: +1 514 874 9632
• Int'l Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Headquarters, 999 Robert-Bourassa Blvd., Montréal H3C 5H7, Quebec, Canada; phone: +1 514 954 8219; fax: +1 514 954 6077; email: icaohq@icao.int
• Int'l Maritime Organization (IMO), 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, United Kingdom; phone: +44 20 7735 7611; fax +44 20 7587 3210; email: info@imo.org
• Universal Postal Union (UPU), Int'l Bureau, POB 312, CH-3000 Bern 15, Switzerland; phone: +41 31 350 3111; fax: +41 31 350 3110
• Int'l Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 730 5111; fax: +41 22 733 7256; email: itumail@itu.int
• International Labour Organization (ILO), 4 Route des Morillons, CH-1211, Genève 22, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 799 6111; fax: +41 22 798 8685; email: ilo@ilo.org
• United Nations, New York, USA and Geneva, Switzerland.

(Last updated on 2024-11-13)

Government trade information

Saudi Government National Portal:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasseriya Street, SA-11124 Riyadh; phone: +966 1 406 7777 and +966 1 441 6836; fax: +966 1 403 0159
• Ministry of Finance, Airport Rd., SA-11177 Riyadh
  • Dept. of Customs (SADC), POB 3483, SA-11197 Riyadh; phone: +966 11 401 3334 (ext. 1655); fax: +966 11 404 3412
• Ministry of Commerce & Investment, SA-11162 Riyadh; phone: +966 1 401 2222; email: info@commerce.gov.sa
• Ministry of Transportation, Malaz, Airport Rd., SA-11178 Riyadh; phone: +966 1 404 3000; fax: +966 1 403 1401; email: mot@mot.gov.sa
• Saudi Ports Authority, POB 5162, SA-11422 Riyadh; phone: +966 1 405 0005; fax: +966 1 405 3508; email: info@ports.gov.sa
• Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), Imam Saud Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Mohammed Rd. (West End), POB 3437, SA-11471 Riyadh; phone: +966 1 252 9999; fax: +966 1 452 0193; email: enquirypoint@saso.gov.sa
  • See ISO membership.

(Last updated on 2023-04-11)

Additional trade information

Refer to updated IMF Country Report.

(Last updated on 2022-04-01)

Traveler requirements (visas, samples, etc.)

Passport must not contain any evidence of prior or intended travel to Israel!

A visa is required for visits to Saudi Arabia. See overview of Saudi Arabia Visa Requirements.

• Also refer to Electronic visa services platform on granting Entry Visa to businessmen and visitors.

For detailed information contact:

• Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Consular Office, 601 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20037; phone: +1 202 342 3126; fax: +1 202 944 3113; email: info@saudiembassy.net
• Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Consular Office, 30-32 Charles Street, London W1J 5DZ; phone: +44 20 7917 3000; fax: +44 20 7917 3113; email: ukemb@mofa.gov.sa

For worldwide visa requirements see: Travel Visa Requirements.

(Last updated on 2020-11-25)

Business customs

The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic, but English is widely used in business as many Saudi businessmen have been educated or have traveled extensively in the West.

Modern Saudi Arabia has adopted many of the business methods and styles of the West, but some differences remain. Most importantly, business will be conducted only after a degree of trust and familiarity has been established. Considerable time may be spent exchanging courtesies, and several visits may be required to secure business. Business visitors should arrange their itineraries to allow for long meetings, because traditional Saudis often maintain an "open office" in which they will sign papers, take telephone calls, and converse with friends or colleagues who drop by. Tea, soft drinks, and traditional Saudi coffee are usually offered. One to three cups of Saudi coffee should be taken for politeness, after which the cup should be wiggled between thumb and forefinger when returning it to the server to indicate that no further coffee is requested.

Eat with your right hand and avoid sitting at any time with the sole of the foot pointed at the host or other guest. It may be discourteous to ask about a man's wife or daughters; instead ask about his family. Shoes are sometimes removed before entering a Saudi majlis (living room). If you are invited to the home of a Saudi for a party or reception, a meal is normally served at the end of the evening, and guests will not linger long after finishing. If you invite a Saudi to dine with you, expect to be refused at least once. Customs and manners differ, so be observant and adapt your behavior to that of your host.

Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country that requires strict adherence to Islamic principles. Five times a day Muslims are obliged to pray in the direction of the holy city, Makkah. The prayer times are published in the newspaper and come at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Stores and restaurants close for approximately half an hour at these times. When staging promotional events or product demonstrations, these prayer breaks should be scheduled.

For business customs check Cultural Guide - Saudi Arabia, and refer to Culture Crossing in Saudi Arabia.

(Last updated on 2019-02-24)