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The Saudi Press Agency reported that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Walid bin Abdulkarim Al-Khereiji met with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric at the ministry headquarters in the Serbian capital. Al-Khereiji represented Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah during the September 2 discussions that covered bilateral relations and opportunities to strengthen them further. The officials addressed topics of common interest before proceeding with the formal signing of the mutual visa exemption pact for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the agreement falls within the framework of the strong bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the Republic of Serbia as friendly states. It aims to support enhanced coordination between the two governments while advancing cooperation in multiple fields through simplified official travel procedures. The agency detailed that the pact specifically waives short-term residency visa requirements for the designated passport categories from both sides.
Saudi Arabia and Serbia established diplomatic relations in 2013, with each country opening an embassy in the other’s capital to sustain regular contact at the governmental level. Trade between the nations totalled $96 million in 2023, split nearly evenly with Saudi exports to Serbia at approximately $38 million and Serbian shipments to the Kingdom at $36 million, according to economic overviews of their ties. The diplomatic infrastructure has supported steady if modest growth in commercial exchanges over the past decade.
The Saudi Press Agency noted that this arrangement follows a pattern of comparable agreements the Kingdom has concluded with other nations to facilitate official movements. Gulf News reported that Saudi Arabia signed a similar visa waiver for diplomatic, special and official passports with India in December 2025 at the foreign ministry in Riyadh. The Saudi Press Agency itself covered an earlier pact with Poland for diplomatic, service and special passport holders that was signed in January 2026.
An Okaz newspaper account described a broader mutual visa exemption deal with Russia signed in December 2025 on the margins of a Saudi-Russian investment forum that extended to ordinary passports and permitted stays of up to 90 days. That agreement excluded visas for work, study, residency or pilgrimage purposes, setting clear boundaries on its application. Such pacts have become a feature of Saudi diplomatic outreach in recent years as the Kingdom expands its international partnerships.
The latest accord with Serbia adds to the tools available for smoother interactions between the two foreign services and associated government bodies. Serbian and Saudi officials have maintained regular high-level contacts since diplomatic ties were formalised more than a decade ago. The Saudi Press Agency indicated that the Belgrade meeting and subsequent signing underscored the ongoing momentum in relations between the two countries.
