Saudi Arabia → France

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From: Saudi Arabia
To: France
Inflow, 2023 (OECD): 118
Change since 2018: +37.2%
Share of all arrivals in France, 2023: 0.05%

Inflow 2023118OECD

Year by year

Data as at 2025

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SA6<FR6<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<6

Migration from Saudi Arabia to France

Inflows of nationals of Saudi Arabia recorded by France; stock of nationals of Saudi Arabia living there; and acquisitions of France's nationality (OECD).

Inflows by year

Data table


2000	39
2001	53
2002	8
2003	23
2004	37
2005	33
2006	46
2007	113
2008	88
2009	113
2010	87
2011	96
2012	101
2013	122
2014	108
2015	80
2016	105
2017	83
2018	86
2019	146
2020	57
2021	165
2022	92
2023	118

Year	Inflow	Stock	Acquired nationality
2023	118	—	19
2022	92	—	20
2021	165	—	13
2020	57	—	10
2019	146	—	14
2018	86	—	23
2017	83	—	12
2016	105	—	29
2015	80	1,041	6
2014	108	—	18
2013	122	—	13
2012	101	—	13
2011	96	—	6
2010	87	1,259	8

Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023

France's consulates in Saudi Arabia

Short-stay Schengen (C) visa applications at France's consulates located in Saudi Arabia.

Year	Applications	Issued	Not issued	Refusal rate
2024	191,388	179,965	10,061	5.3%
2023	145,096	133,532	9,519	6.6%
2022	120,630	110,197	6,460	5.4%
2021	72,702	68,002	2,847	3.9%
2020	18,671	17,572	1,466	7.9%
2019	134,374	121,318	8,228	6.1%
2018	130,639	116,957	11,512	8.8%
2017	120,862	112,077	6,475	5.4%
2016	132,648	127,621	2,462	1.9%
2015	144,705	140,336	2,378	1.6%
2014	102,781	100,481	2,150	2.1%
2013	77,436	74,867	2,510	3.2%
2012	82,452	80,193	2,259	2.7%
2011	82,182	80,456	1,726	2.1%
2010	68,331	66,885	1,452	2.1%
2009	49,712	48,774	945	1.9%

Applications by year

Data table


2009	49,712
2010	68,331
2011	82,182
2012	82,452
2013	77,436
2014	102,781
2015	144,705
2016	132,648
2017	120,862
2018	130,639
2019	134,374
2020	18,671
2021	72,702
2022	120,630
2023	145,096
2024	191,388

Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2024

Residence permits in France

First residence permits issued by France to citizens of Saudi Arabia (Eurostat).

First permits by reason, 2025

Education119
Other reasons62
Work7
Family2

Year	First permits	EU Blue Cards	Citizenships acquired	Students
2025	190	0	0	0
2024	255	1	67	519
2023	354	2	19	557
2022	358	0	20	541
2021	394	0	13	521
2020	225	0	10	500
2019	413	0	14	484
2018	322	1	23	442
2017	322	1	12	434
2016	295	1	29	473
2015	286	0	6	439
2014	353	0	18	449
2013	385	0	13	478
2012	306	0	13	0
2011	407	0	6	0
2010	351	0	0	0

Work permits by type, 2025

Other paid activities5
Researchers2

Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025: 990
Long-term residence permits issued, 2025: 6
Changed status into work, 2025: 7

Source: Eurostat (migr_resfirst, migr_resbc11, migr_acq, educ_uoe_mobs02, migr_eirfs, migr_pop1ctz), CC BY 4.0Data as at 2025

Embassy and consulates

Missions of France in Saudi Arabia, as recorded in Wikidata. Details change; the mission's official website is authoritative.

Mission	City	Official website
Embassy	Riyadh	sa.ambafrance.org
Consulate-general	Jeddah	sa.diplomatie.gouv.fr

Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in France, 2023; Saudi Arabia ranks 116.

Inflows to France, 2023

Algeria20,762
Morocco17,703
Tunisia14,656
Afghanistan10,974
Italy10,113
Spain9,628
Côte d’Ivoire7,945
Belgium7,813
Portugal7,426
Germany7,105
Türkiye6,780
Romania6,667

Other destinations for people from Saudi Arabia, 2023

Türkiye1,048
Japan552
Australia550
United States520
Germany465
South Korea428
Canada235
Switzerland230
Netherlands125