Consulate General of the United States Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Message for U.S. Citizens from U.S. Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dec 19, 2012

The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia will be closed Tuesday, December 25 and Wednesday, December 26, in observance of the federal Christmas holiday.  Embassy Riyadh and Consulates General Dhahran and Jeddah will re-open for business on Saturday, December 29.

Appointments required:  Over a year ago we introduced an appointment-based system for routine U.S. citizens services but we continued to serve U.S. citizens who came for routine services without an appointment. In order to provide a better customer experience and to comply with the U.S. Department of State’s worldwide requirement for a strictly appointment-based system for routine services, beginning on Saturday, January 5, 2013, routine services for U.S. citizens throughout the Kingdom will be conducted by appointment only. Routine services include passport services (passport renewals, first passport application, add visa pages), reports of birth abroad, notarial services, and all other non-emergency services. 

Persons without an appointment will not be admitted for routine services. 

NOTE: An appointment is not necessary for passport or report of birth pickup during regularly scheduled ACS hours, but U.S. citizens must bring a print-out of their e-mail pick-up notification, pick-up slip with receipt and old passport, if applicable. An appointment is also not necessary if you have been issued an Incomplete Application Letter (IAL), which you may use to return with the information requested during regularly scheduled ACS hours. 

Emergencies: The American Citizens Services (ACS) Units in Riyadh, Dhahran and Jeddah do not require appointments for emergency situations.  Emergencies may include, but are not limited to the death or arrest of a U.S. citizen, medical or financial emergencies, etc. U.S. citizens with emergency situations may be served on an exceptional basis by contacting us as follows:

During regular office hours (Saturday – Wednesday, except U.S. and Saudi holidays):

U.S. Embassy Riyadh – ASC Unit 966-1-488-3800, x 4309, 4184 or 4223

U.S. Consulate General Dhahran - ACS Unit 966-3-330-3200, x3004

U.S. Consulate General Jeddah  - ACS Unit 966-2-667-0080, x 4610

For an after-hours emergency, call the Embassy switchboard at +966-1-488-3800 or Consulate General Dhahran switchboard at 966-3-330-3200, or Consulate General Jeddah switchboard at 966-2-667-0080. Emergency Duty personnel are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The Appointment system: The online appointment system is simple and easy to use.  You are able to make, change, and cancel appointments through the online system.  Once the appointment is made, print your confirmation page and bring it with you to your appointment. 

If only one or two persons are applying for a service, you may book only one appointment. However, if you have three or more people (for example, a mother and father renewing their passport and applying to register a new-born child or three children renewing their passports), then you should book an appointment for each service.

To make your ACS appointment online, please visit the Embassy or Consulate websites, then click on "U.S. Citizen Services", then select "Appointments,” or follow these  links directly:

Riyadh:  https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=RID&appcode=1

Dhahran: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=dhr&appcode=1

Jeddah: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=JDD&appcode=1

Other Information:

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Saudi Arabia enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/step.  STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Regularly monitor the State Department's website at http://travel.state.gov, where you can find current Travel Warnings, (including the Travel Warning for Saudi Arabia, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution.  Read the Country Specific Information for Saudi Arabia at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1012.html. For additional information, refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" on the State Department's website.

Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions.  You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from within the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.

These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/travelgov and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/travelgov, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-traveler/id442693988?mt=8- to have travel information at your fingertips.

Addresses and contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and U.S. Consulates General Dhahran and Jeddah are:

U.S. Embassy Riyadh
Abdullah Ibn Hudhafah As Sahmi Street, Roundabout no. 9, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
Telephone: (966) (1) 488-3800
Fax: (966) (1) 483-0773
Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (1) 488-3800

U.S. Consulate General Dhahran
Between KFUPM and King Abdulaziz Airbase, Dhahran
Telephone: (966) (3) 330-3200
Fax: (966) (3) 330-0464
Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (3) 330-3200, x3004

U.S. Consulate General Jeddah
Falasteen Street intersecting with Al-Andalus Street, Jeddah
Telephone: (966) (2) 667-0080
Fax: (966) (2) 669-3098
Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (2) 667-0080

Earlier Messages to U.S. Citizens are available at http://riyadh.usembassy.gov/amcitmessages.html.

ACS Website: http://riyadh.usembassy.gov/service.html