New Visa Type for Turkish Drivers: One Year Validity for 3,750 Lira

As a result of negotiations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, a new visa category has been created for Turkish drivers who will transport goods to Saudi Arabia.This development is of great importance for facilitating transportation and international trade. Due to events in the Middle East, land transportation had not been possible for many years. However, with the opening of transit routes through Iraq and Syria, opportunities have emerged for companies to access Saudi Arabia by land.High-level contacts were made to enable companies to transport goods to Saudi Arabia under suitable conditions. In these meetings, Saudi officials discussed driver visas and other transportation-related issues.The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure sent an informative letter to non-governmental organizations. A new step was taken in the negotiations with this country regarding driver visas. An agreement was reached on the issuance of multiple-entry land transportation visas for one year at a fee of 300 Saudi riyals (3,750 lira), and single-entry transit transportation visas will be issued free of charge.It is expected that the decision taken as a result of the negotiations with Saudi Arabia will facilitate transportation and the provision of driver visas. However, the request to extend the permitted four-day stay period for transit transportation to 15 days due to the vast geography of Saudi Arabia and other factors has been conveyed to the Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels.