Travelers from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries are poised to experience meaningful changes in their journey to the United States as a series of new regulations take effect.

Beginning December 26, 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security will require biometric data collection for all non-US citizens at border entry and exit points, including airports, land crossings and seaports.

This measure expands facial recognition and other biometric checks to cover nearly all foreign travelers, aiming to tighten identity verification and strengthen border security.

The data collected will be incorporated into government databases, potentially improving tracking of arrivals and departures.

These biometric entry-exit requirements come alongside sweeping updates to visa policy under broader legislation passed earlier in 2025. Most nonimmigrant visa applicants, including individuals from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Oman and other nations in the region, will now be charged a mandatory Visa Integrity Fee of two hundred and fifty dollars in addition to existing application fees.

The legislation also increases fees for travel authorization systems such as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization and enhances funding for border enforcement and processing capacity.

Together, these regulatory shifts could lengthen processing times for visa approvals and entry procedures at US ports of entry.

The expanded biometric program and higher visa costs reflect a sustained focus on security and immigration control, but they represent a significant shift in how Americans and international visitors, including citizens of key Middle Eastern states, plan and prepare for travel to the United States.

It is anticipated that both diplomatic and tourism travel will need to factor in greater preparation time and compliance with enhanced screening.