Like most of these deals, it doesn't work both ways. The Saudis don't seem to let travel agents issue visas for Americans.
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From the Washington Times:
EDITORIAL • July 8, 2002
Derail the Saudi visa express
Have we already forgotten the black comedy of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) reissuing Mohammed Atta's visa six months after he crashed an airliner into the World Trade Center? It appears that we have. For too long, too many foreign visitors have legally entered the United States on visas that never should have been issued. It is bad enough that our porous borders enable many to enter illegally, but there is no excuse now — almost 10 months after September 11 — for the lack of adequate controls on legal entry.
President Bush's Homeland Security Department is supposed to include the INS and tackle this widespread problem. Congressional debate on the Homeland Security bill will take months. But while Congress debates the complex legislation, there are parts of the visa system that need to be fixed right now. For starters, the president needs to derail the Saudi Visa Express.
If you visit the web site for the American Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh (
http://usembassy.state.gov/riyadh), you'll find the U.S. Visa Express link. The express is a visa-application service that the embassy has parceled out to 10 travel agencies. Anyone who is a resident of Saudi Arabia — even those who aren't Saudi citizens — can apply for a non-immigrant visa to the United States simply by filling out a form and sending a picture of himself along with the fee to one of these travel agencies. His visa comes in the mail, and he's off to the United States, without any American ever checking whether, for example, the person is on a terrorist watch list.
Obviously, someone needs to remind the people in the State Department that most of the 19 hijackers on September 11 were Saudis and that three of them got their visas through the Saudi Visa Express. This is a big hole in our homeland security that needs to be plugged immediately—not six months or a year from now...
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And how does an American get a Saudi visa?
Visas: There is no such thing as a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia. You can enter the country with a visitor's transit or (if you're Muslim) hajj or umrah visa. To get a visitor's visa you will have to be sponsored by a Saudi individual or company. Another option is a 24 or 48-hour transit visa - to get one you have to prove that you had no choice other than to stop-over in Saudi Arabia en route to your final destination. You can now also visit the country as a non-Muslim if you join an approved (and expensive - US$5000 plus) organised tour.
From
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinat...abia/facts.htm
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PASSPORTS MUST BE VALID FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS FOR ALL TYPES OF VISAS
All visitors traveling to Saudi Arabia require visas, with different types issued depending on purpose of visit. Saudi Embassies may issue visitors visas to businessmen with legitimate business concerns in the Kingdom. Likewise, close relatives of expatriate workers may apply for and obtain visit visas, depending on the expatriate worker's job type and position.
These are the requirements of Business Visit VISA for the US citizens:
A white visa application form, a valid passport and one photograph.
An original cover letter from a registered company or firm based in the US indicating the name of the Saudi Arabian company, the nature of the applicant’s visit, length of stay and financial responsibility. The letter must bear the company’s stamp or seal.
An application from the sponsor in the Kingdom on the applicant’s behalf to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or an original letter of invitation from the company in Saudi Arabia . This letter must be signed and sealed by the company and stamped by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce. For businesswomen, the invitation must come from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A money order made out to the “Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia” for the following amount
*$54.00 for US passport holders
*$54.00 for single entry for non-US passport holders
*$135.00 for multiple entries for non-US passport holders.
(cash and personal checks are not accepted)
(For non-US citizen applicants) A photocopy of a valid residence document (green card)
http://www.saudia-online.com/Travell...i%20Arabia.htm