Full Breakdown
Turkey and Saudi Arabia Set to Abolish Visa Requirements in Ankara
5/5/2026, 11:54:35 PM
Visa-Free Travel Accord Set for Ankara Signing
On May 5, 2026, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to sign an agreement eliminating visa requirements for certain categories of their citizens. The accord will be finalized during the third meeting of the Turkey-Saudi Coordination Council, chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Ankara. The source indicates the deal will apply to holders of special and diplomatic passports, though other reports mention diplomatic and green passports or ordinary and diplomatic passports.
From Khashoggi to Cooperation: Background and Context
Bilateral relations deteriorated after the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, an incident for which Turkey accused senior Saudi officials of involvement. Diplomatic engagement resumed in 2020, and in 2021 Turkey formally dropped its accusations, initiating a broader outreach to regional partners, including Riyadh. The Turkey-Saudi Coordination Council, created in 2016, has convened three times, with the second meeting held in Riyadh in May 2025.
Key Diplomats Steering the Deal
Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s foreign minister, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, are the principal negotiators. Both will co-chair the council meeting and are expected to present their respective countries’ positions on regional security, economic cooperation, and the visa-free travel framework.
Economic and Diplomatic Data
Bilateral trade reached approximately $8.5 billion by the end of 2025, reflecting expanding commercial ties. The Coordination Council operates through five sub-committees covering politics, diplomacy, military and security, culture, sports, media, tourism, social development, health, education, commerce, industry, investment, infrastructure, and energy.
Official Statements & Expected Positions
According to diplomatic sources, Fidan will reiterate Turkey’s call for “regional ownership” in addressing Middle East crises, underscore Ankara’s constructive contribution to ending the conflict in Iran, and caution that developments around the Strait of Hormuz should not lead to “new tensions and provocations.” He is also expected to highlight the strategic importance of connectivity, the two-state solution for Palestine, and the need for a stronger international stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Conflicting Reports on Passport Categories
The three source excerpts differ on the passport types covered by the visa-free agreement. Reuters specifies “special and diplomatic passports,” Daily Sabah mentions “diplomatic and green passports” (including senior civil servants and a limited group of businesspeople), while Von reports the accord will apply to “ordinary and diplomatic passports.” No source clarifies which definition will be adopted in the final text.
Verbatim Quotes
- “regional ownership” — Hakan Fidan (as reported)
- “new tensions and provocations.” — Hakan Fidan (as reported)
What’s Next
The signing is slated for the Ankara meeting on May 5. Implementation details, including the exact passport categories and the timeline for operationalizing visa-free travel, are expected to be outlined in the final agreement. Observers anticipate that the accord will serve as a confidence-building measure for further economic and security cooperation between Ankara and Riyadh.
