‘Do you have to cover your face (in Saudi Arabia)?’: What to know about solo female travel in the kingdom
- Saudi Arabia is extending electronic visas for visitors coming from 49 countries – including the U.S.
- While wearing the abaya or headscarf is not mandatory anymore, modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders is recommended.
- The kingdom is just opening up to tourists and for locals in smaller towns and villages, it is still somewhat of a novelty.
As a female and second-generation expatriate who has lived in Saudi Arabia for nearly three decades, one question that I get asked often is: “Is Saudi Arabia safe for women?”
Or even: “Do you have to cover your face?”
Up until 2019, the kingdom only issued business or visitor visas for a religious pilgrimage to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. As a plan to diversify its economy through tourism and entertainment (like neighboring Dubai), the country announced an electronic visa for visitors coming from 49 countries – including the United States.