Schengen visa insurance from Saudi Arabia (2025 Guide & Requirements)
In 2024, applicants from Saudi Arabia submitted more than 505,000 Schengen visa requests, placing the Kingdom among the top 10 countries worldwide for short-stay visa demand. Consulates granted over 470,000 visas, while nearly 30,000 were refused, often due to technical issues in the file—wrong dates, incomplete financial proof, or non-compliant insurance certificates. With most applications passing through VFS Global, BLS Spain or TLScontact in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, travellers are under strong pressure to present a flawless dossier on the first try.
Insurance is one of the documents checked immediately at the visa centres, and it is also one of the most frequently corrected. Applicants must provide a policy showing €30,000 minimum medical coverage, repatriation, and validity across all 29 Schengen states. With peak periods often pushing processing times above 15–20 days, and with many travellers booking expensive flights in advance, having a fully compliant insurance certificate becomes essential to protect both the visa application and the overall travel budget.
- Schengen travel insurance is mandatory for every short-stay visa applicant from Saudi Arabia.
- Schengen visa insurance typically costs between 60 and 300 SAR for a standard short stay, depending on age and length of travel.
- Insurance dates must match your exact travel dates — even one missing day can trigger a correction at VFS/BLS/TLS.
- Saudi Arabia submitted 505,455 Schengen applications last year, with 5.9% refusals — technical mistakes are a frequent cause.
- Instant PDF certificates are accepted in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
- Several plans available via HelloSafe include a refund if your visa is refused.
Is Schengen visa insurance mandatory for travellers from Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Every traveller applying for a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) from Saudi Arabia—whether a Saudi national or an expatriate holding an iqama—must submit a Schengen-compliant travel medical insurance certificate. This document is one of the first items checked at VFS Global, BLS Spain and TLScontact before your file is forwarded to the embassy. Without it, the application cannot proceed.
Consulates require insurance because Saudi Arabia is among the largest sources of Schengen visa demand, with more than 505,000 applications in 2024. With such volumes, embassies rely heavily on technical consistency. A missing medical limit, unclear geographical zone or incorrect dates can delay a file—even if the rest of the application is strong. The good news is that insurance is the only part of the Schengen process you can secure perfectly in minutes, provided the policy follows the exact legal requirements.
Get your Schengen travel insurance certificate in 2 minutes
What are the Schengen visa travel insurance requirements from Saudi Arabia?
For any Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) submitted in Saudi Arabia, consulates insist on a very precise insurance certificate. This is one of the few documents that must be technically perfect from the first submission: clear wording, coverage shown in euros, and dates aligned with your itinerary. Visa centres in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam check the certificate before the embassy even reviews the file, which means the insurance must comply exactly with EU regulations.
What must your Schengen insurance certificate include? 📄
A policy is considered Schengen-compliant only if it includes the mandatory wording required by the EU Visa Code. From Saudi Arabia, applicants must present an insurance certificate that clearly shows:
- Minimum €30,000 emergency medical coverage (written in euros)
- Medical repatriation to Saudi Arabia
- Validity in all 29 Schengen countries
- Zero deductible (no excess)
- Coverage for the entire stay, from arrival to departure
- A clean PDF certificate in English or French
- A traveller name and passport number that match the Saudi passport or iqama exactly
Below is a breakdown of mandatory vs optional benefits commonly found in Schengen insurance plans:
Mandatory vs optional benefits for Schengen visas
🛡️ Coverage & benefits | ✔️ Mandatory for Schengen visa? | 🔍 Why it matters for Saudi travellers |
|---|---|---|
🩺 Emergency medical expenses (€30,000 min.) | Yes | Pays for hospitalisation, ER visits and urgent treatments anywhere in the Schengen Area |
🚑 Medical repatriation | Yes | Required by the EU; covers evacuation back to Saudi Arabia if health prevents continuing the trip |
⚰️ Repatriation of mortal remains | No (recommended) | Highly valued for family visits; avoids extremely high repatriation costs |
🎒 Baggage insurance | No | Useful on connecting flights via Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Zurich |
⏱️ Travel delay / missed connection | No | Helps compensate for extra expenses during long layovers or flight disruptions |
🧑⚖️ Personal liability | No | Covers accidental damage to others during your stay (accommodation, rental bikes, etc.) |
These requirements are identical for Saudi nationals and expatriates living in Saudi Arabia. Regardless of the applicant’s profile, the certificate must be explicit, readable and formatted for consular review.
What are the most common insurance mistakes made by Saudi applicants? ⚠️
Even though insurance is the easiest requirement to secure, it is also one of the most corrected documents at VFS, BLS and TLS in Saudi Arabia. Most issues come from formatting errors or unclear certificates purchased from insurers not specialized in Schengen coverage.
⚠️ Common mistake | 📌 Impact on your Schengen visa file |
|---|---|
Insurance dates do not cover the full trip | Leads to immediate correction requests; file may be put on hold |
Certificate mentions “Europe” or “Worldwide” instead of “Schengen Area” | Consulates cannot confirm geographical compliance → risk of rejection |
Medical limit not shown in euros | EU minimum (€30,000) cannot be verified; certificate often refused |
No explicit repatriation wording | Policy considered incomplete under the Visa Code |
Name or passport number does not match the applicant’s passport | Triggers suspicion of error or document inconsistency |
Screenshot or photo instead of an official PDF | Low-quality documents may be rejected at the visa centre |
Certificate issued with wrong dates (reverse order, typo, extra day missing) | Causes delays during peak demand (summer, Eid, winter holidays) |
These mistakes are easy to avoid with a properly formatted Schengen policy, but they remain among the top reasons why applicants from Saudi Arabia must re-submit their insurance. Using a specialist provider with a standardised Schengen certificate helps eliminate these technical risks from the outset.
Which Schengen travel insurance is best for applicants from Saudi Arabia?
Applicants in Saudi Arabia—Saudis and expatriates alike—often start by checking local travel insurance providers such as Tawuniya, Bupa Arabia, or MedGulf. While these companies offer general travel policies, their certificates are not always formatted specifically for Schengen visa requirements: limits may not appear in euros, the Schengen zone may be described too vaguely, or repatriation wording may be incomplete. These small inconsistencies frequently lead to correction requests at VFS Global, BLS Spain and TLScontact.
For this reason, many travellers prefer European insurers specialised in Schengen visas, whose certificates follow the exact format expected by consulates and are validated more quickly during visa checks. Below is a comparison of the most reliable Schengen-compliant plans available to applicants in Saudi Arabia.
Schengen-compliant travel insurance plans compared ⭐
⚖️ Guarantee | Mutuaide – Impatriés Schengen | ACS/MGEN – Europax | VYV – Cap Schengen | AIG – Incoming Classic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🩺 Medical coverage | €30,000 | €30,000 | €30,000 | €30,000 |
🚑 Medical repatriation | Included | Included | Included | Included |
🛡️ Zero deductible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
📄 Certificate format | Instant PDF | Instant PDF | Instant PDF | Instant PDF |
💸 Visa refusal refund | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* |
✨ Extra benefits | Teleconsultation, daily allowance | High liability limit | Refund option built-in | Dental & outpatient cover |
*Refund available upon presentation of the official consulate refusal letter (conditions vary by insurer).
These four insurers provide documents consistently accepted by Schengen embassies and visa centres in Saudi Arabia. All certificates are issued in English, in PDF format, and show the required €30,000 medical limit and repatriation wording clearly.
Which plan fits your Saudi travel profile? 🧳
👤 Traveller profile | ⭐ Recommended plan | 🔍 Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
Young tourists / first-time travellers | Mutuaide – Impatriés Schengen | Affordable, simple, and delivers instant embassy-ready certificates |
Families travelling during school holidays | ACS/MGEN – Europax | Strong liability limits and good multi-traveller suitability |
Travellers worried about visa refusal | VYV – Cap Schengen | Built-in refund option makes the process less risky |
Travellers with longer stays or more activities | AIG – Incoming Classic | Includes dental/outpatient cover and stronger benefits for extended trips |
Business travellers | Mutuaide or ACS/MGEN | Fast issuance + clean certificates that pass VFS checks smoothly |
Many travellers in Saudi Arabia now use HelloSafe to compare these Schengen-compliant plans side by side. The tool displays prices in EUR and SAR, filters out any non-compliant policy, and provides an instant PDF certificate accepted by embassies. It is one of the easiest ways to secure a fully compliant policy before your VFS, BLS or TLS appointment.
Compare Schengen insurance plansWho buys travel insurance for Schengen Visa in Saudi arabia ?
The table below summarises the main traveller profiles applying from the Kingdom:
👤 Traveller profile | 🌍 Typical purpose of travel | 📝 Insurance requirement |
|---|---|---|
🇸🇦 Saudi citizens | Tourism in France, Italy, Spain; family visits; shopping trips | Mandatory Schengen insurance covering €30,000 + repatriation |
🧕👳 Expatriate residents in KSA (India, Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, etc.) | Tourism, reunions with relatives in Europe, business trips | Required even if the applicant’s nationality has higher global refusal rates |
👨👩👧 Families travelling during school holidays | Multi-country European trips (France–Switzerland–Germany) | One insurance per traveller, with dates matching the full itinerary |
💼 Business travellers & conference attendees | Meetings, exhibitions, short assignments | Certificate must clearly state Schengen validity; corporate sponsorship does not remove the insurance requirement |
🎓 Students on short academic programs | Courses under 90 days, summer schools, university interviews | Standard Schengen policy accepted; higher limits optional |
✈️ Transit travellers | Transit via Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam | Insurance often required if a Transit Visa (Type A) is needed |
Whether the applicant is a Saudi national or a foreign resident with an iqama, the rule remains the same: no Schengen travel insurance = no visa submission. Providing a compliant certificate from the beginning helps avoid correction requests at VFS, BLS or TLS and strengthens the overall credibility of the file.
With HelloSafe, travellers in Saudi Arabia can compare trusted European insurers and download an embassy-ready PDF certificate instantly, payable in EUR or SAR. Every plan displayed is already Schengen-compliant, removing the risk of buying a policy that consulates may reject and helping make the insurance step the easiest part of your visa application.
How much does Schengen visa insurance cost from Saudi Arabia (EUR & SAR)?
For travellers applying from Saudi Arabia, the cost of Schengen insurance is generally much lower than expected. Even with the legally required €30,000 medical coverage, most plans remain affordable—especially compared with the overall price of a European trip (visa fees, flights, accommodation). Prices vary mainly according to age, length of stay, and optional benefits.
Below are realistic ranges for policies typically purchased by applicants in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, based on the plans offered by Mutuaide, ACS/MGEN, VYV and AIG.
Typical prices by trip length for Saudi applicants 💶🇸🇦
🗓️ Trip length | 💶 Price range (EUR) | 🇸🇦 Equivalent in SAR | 🔍 What this usually includes |
|---|---|---|---|
7 days | €15 – €25 | ~60 – 100 SAR | Emergency medical cover (€30,000) + repatriation + Schengen zone validity |
15 days | €20 – €40 | ~80 – 160 SAR | Zero deductible, full Schengen compliance, PDF certificate |
30 days | €35 – €70 | ~140 – 280 SAR | Higher flexibility for itinerary changes; suitable for family trips |
60 days | €55 – €110 | ~220 – 440 SAR | Often chosen by long-stay visitors and multi-country travellers |
*SAR conversions are indicative, based on common EUR→SAR ranges seen among Saudi applicants.
These amounts cover all Schengen destinations: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and all other member states. The destination does not influence the insurance price.
How age affects Schengen medical insurance prices for Saudi travellers 👤
Age is one of the strongest pricing factors because medical risk increases over time. Below are the typical brackets observed for applicants from Saudi Arabia.
👤 Age group | 💵 Typical price range (SAR) | 🔍 Profile & expectations |
|---|---|---|
18–39 years | 60 – 180 SAR | Lowest risk category; ideal for young tourists and short trips |
40–59 years | 90 – 260 SAR | Moderate increase due to higher expected medical costs |
60–69 years | 180 – 420 SAR | Fewer insurers available; enhanced medical limits recommended |
70+ years | 350 – 750 SAR | Higher premiums due to significantly increased medical risk |
Even in higher age groups, these prices remain very affordable compared with the real cost of a medical emergency in Europe, where a single ER visit can range from €350 to €900, and hospital stays can run into several thousand euros.
Many travellers search for the “cheapest” Schengen insurance, but low-priced plans only work if they still meet every mandatory requirement. A non-compliant certificate—even if inexpensive—can cause delays or weaken the visa file.
Through HelloSafe, applicants are shown only insurance plans that already meet Schengen requirements, with a clear and instantly downloadable certificate, making it possible to choose an affordable policy without risking non-compliance, even during busy periods such as summer, Ramadan, Eid or winter holidays.
Get Schengen visa insurance from €1/dayHow to buy Schengen travel insurance online from Saudi Arabia
Buying Schengen visa insurance from Saudi Arabia is now a fast and fully digital process. Whether you apply from Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam, you can secure a fully compliant certificate in just a few minutes. HelloSafe compares only Schengen-approved plans, all accepted at VFS Global, BLS Spain and TLScontact, and provides an instant PDF ready to attach to your visa file.
Here is how the process works step by step.
🧭 Step 1: enter your details and see only Schengen-compliant options
You start by entering your country of residence and travel dates.
HelloSafe automatically filters policies that can issue a certificate meeting the Schengen rules, which is especially useful for travellers from Saudi Arabia.
📄 Step 2: compare guarantees that consulates check line by line
HelloSafe only displays insurance plans that meet all Schengen consular requirements: you can compare them side by side and subscribe online in just a few clicks.Every option shown is fully compatible with visa rules:
- €30,000 medical coverage in euros
- repatriation included
- valid in all Schengen countries
- dates matching your itinerary
- your identity exactly as on your passport
You can then choose the plan that fits your budget, with optional add-ons if you want extra protection (higher medical limits, baggage, cancellation).All payments are made through a secure checkout, available in your local currency (PKR, INR, AED, etc.).
⚡ Step 3: get your visa-ready PDF instantly
Once purchased, the certificate is generated within seconds and sent by email as a PDF ready for your VFS/TLS appointment.Travellers appreciate that they can:
- buy for themselves or for a parent abroad,
- receive the certificate immediately,
- request date or spelling corrections if their plans change.
This avoids one of the most common visa delays: a certificate that does not match the rest of the file.
💸 Refund if your visa is refused
If your visa is denied, the insurers available through HelloSafe offer a refund when the official refusal letter is provided. This protects applicants from losing money in regions where refusal rates are high.
How does the refund process work?
- You send the official refusal document to [hellotravel@hellosafe.fr](mailto:hellotravel@hellosafe.fr) or via the HelloSafe chat (WhatsApp coming soon).
- The team checks the validity of the document.
- Once approved, the refund is issued to the card used for the original payment.
- The amount is usually credited within 2 to 3 days.
Using HelloSafe ensures that every policy you compare is already approved for Schengen visas, removing the guesswork that often leads to VFS delays. The instant PDF delivery also helps applicants who receive a last-minute VFS appointment or need to correct their certificate quickly.
Choose insurance with a refund if your visa is refusedFAQ
Yes. All applicants for a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) must submit valid travel medical insurance when applying from Saudi Arabia. This applies to both Saudi nationals and expatriates with an iqama. The certificate must clearly show €30,000 emergency medical coverage, medical repatriation, and validity across all Schengen countries.
VFS, BLS and TLS will not accept or forward your file without a compliant certificate.
No — credit card insurance is never accepted for Schengen visa applications.
Banks in Saudi Arabia, and international card networks, cannot issue the mandatory certificate containing:
- your full name and passport details
- coverage amounts shown in euros
- explicit Schengen Area validity
- insurance dates matching your itinerary
Because these elements are required by EU consulates, visa centres systematically reject credit card travel insurance.
A dedicated Schengen travel medical policy is mandatory.
Generally no. Schengen insurance covers unexpected medical emergencies, not planned treatment or routine care for chronic conditions. Some insurers may cover a sudden, unforeseen deterioration of a stable condition. Travellers with known medical issues, or those aged 60 and above, often choose plans with extended coverage for added security.
Yes. €30,000 is the minimum required by the EU Visa Code, and consulates accept it for all short stays. Medical costs in Europe can be high, however, so some applicants prefer higher limits (€50,000 or €100,000), especially older travellers or those staying several weeks.
Often yes. Many Schengen insurers available through HelloSafe allow travellers to modify insurance dates before the policy starts. This is particularly useful when VFS, BLS or TLS appointments are rescheduled or if flight dates shift. The updated certificate must still match the final itinerary submitted to the consulate.
Yes. Visa centres in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam accept clean, readable PDF certificates. They must show:
- €30,000 minimum medical coverage
- repatriation
- Schengen-wide validity
- correct personal details
- correct dates
- insurer contact information
Screenshots or blurred images may be rejected.
If your nationality requires a Schengen Airport Transit Visa (Type A), then you must also submit Schengen-compliant insurance. This affects many expatriate residents in Saudi Arabia such as nationals of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and others.
If you exit the airport or must pass immigration (landside transit), you need a Type C visa, and standard Schengen insurance becomes compulsory.
When in doubt, travellers are strongly advised to provide a compliant insurance certificate to avoid delays.
Yes. One Schengen insurance policy covers all 29 Schengen countries automatically.
You do not need separate policies for each destination.
This applies to all common itineraries such as:
- Saudi Arabia → France → Italy → Switzerland
- Jeddah → Amsterdam → Paris
- Riyadh → Frankfurt → Prague → Vienna
What matters is that your certificate clearly states Schengen Area coverage for the entire trip.
Yes. The payer does not need to be the insured person. Many applicants in Saudi Arabia have a spouse, child or relative living in Europe who purchases the insurance on their behalf.
The only rule is:
➡️ The insured name must match the passport exactly.
With HelloSafe, the sponsor can pay from Europe while the applicant in Saudi Arabia receives the instant PDF certificate by email.
If you purchase a policy with a visa refusal refund, you can request reimbursement by sending the official refusal letter to the HelloSafe support team. After verification, the insurer refunds the premium—typically within 2–3 working days.
This protects applicants in years where refusal rates increase or when files are delayed for technical reasons.
Preferably 1–2 weeks before your visa appointment, once your flights and accommodation are confirmed. This ensures your certificate reflects the final itinerary.
During peak seasons (summer, Ramadan, Eid, winter holidays), applicants often secure insurance earlier, as visa processing delays can reach 15–20 days.
Most standard Schengen policies exclude high-risk activities such as skiing, scuba diving, high-altitude trekking or motorcycle accidents. If your European trip includes these activities, you may need a sports extension. For typical tourism, business trips or family visits, standard Schengen coverage is sufficient.
Yes. Every traveller listed on a visa application—including infants—must have their own individual policy covering the full duration of the stay. Families typically purchase matching policies for each member with identical dates.
No. Your application will be considered incomplete without the insurance certificate and will not be forwarded to the embassy. The certificate must be included at the time you hand in your file at VFS, BLS or TLS.
