SAUDI HOLIDAYS & BUSINESS HOURS
Here are some dates to keep in mind when doing business in Saudi Arabia.
Local Time:
Saudi Arabia is 8 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 7 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) from April to October. Consequently, 8:00 a.m. EST in New York City corresponds to 4:00 p.m. the same day in Riyadh or Jeddah. 8:00 p.m. EST in New York City corresponds to 4:00 a.m. the next day in Riyadh or Jeddah.
Business Hours:
The Saudi workweek is Sunday through Thursday, with the weekend falling on Friday and Saturday. Because the U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia follows the Saudi workweek, please note that the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the U.S. Consulates General in Dhahran and Jeddah are closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
Government offices in Saudi Arabia open early at 8:00 a.m. but are closed by 2:30 or 3:00 p.m. at the latest. Business open either 9:00 to 5:00, or from 9:00 to 1:00 with a three-hour break until 4:00 p.m., then re-open from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Shops typically open at 9:30 or 10:00 until 1:00 pm., and then re-open at 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. until about 10:00 p.m.
Please note that most Saudi offices, businesses, and shops close for Islamic prayers five times a day, for about 20-30 minutes each time. Because prayer times are calculated in relation to sunrise and sunset, they vary daily. Detailed monthly prayer times can be found by clicking here. You must select a specific location as sunrise and sunset times vary from city to city.
Embassy/Consulate Holidays:
The following days are designated as official holidays to be observed by the Embassy and the two Consulates (Dhahran and Jeddah) for the period Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2018.
Date
Day
Holiday
Jan 1, 2018
Monday
New Year’s Day
Jan 14, 2018
Sunday
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday
Feb 18, 2018
Washington’s Birthday
May 27, 2018
Memorial Day
Jun 14-20, 2018
Thurs-Wednesday
**Eid-al-Fitr/Ramadan
July 4, 2018
Wednesday
Independence Day
August 20-23, 2018
Monday-Thurs
**Eid-al-Adha
Sep 2, 2018
Labor Day
Sep 23, 2018
**Saudi National Day
Oct 7, 2018
Columbus Day
Nov 11, 2018
Veterans Day
Nov 22, 2018
Thursday
Thanksgiving Day
Dec 25, 2018
Christmas Day
**These local holidays are governed by the lunar calendar; Exact dates shall be confirmed by the Saudi government at a later date and are subject to change.
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