Saudi Arabia is known in the world as a producer of crude oil. However, the country has much more to offer. Under the progressive leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the world has seen a very different image of Saudi Arabia. The country is more focused on boosting tourism and presenting a softer image of Saudi Arabia, which is why it offers electronic or digital visas to foreign visitors. On this page, you will get all the necessary information about Saudi Arabia e-visa requirements for UK citizens.

Saudi Arabia e-Visa for Travelers from the UK:

Since 27 September 2019, Saudi Arabia has been offering e-visa facilities to those looking to visit the Kingdom for tourism, Umrah, and business purposes. Within just ten days of introducing an e-visa, nearly 24,000 foreigners visited the Kingdom. Out of these, over six thousand tourists were UK nationals. This indicates that the UK is the 2nd largest group of foreigners to travel to Saudi Arabia for tourist purposes.

Considering this trend, the Saudi Arabian government has further relaxed the entry and exit requirements for travelers from the UK. Per the new e-visa directives, 49 countries can now obtain an electronic visa. Saudi Arabia is a desirable destination for citizens of the United Kingdom as they are keen to explore and relish the Kingdom's diverse landscape, exclusive pre-Islamic rock art, and most iconic Islamic sites. Apart from that, the country offers diverse cuisine, luxurious resorts, theme parks, futuristic cities, and many more exciting attractions. The government had strict laws previously, but now it has relaxed them considerably to allow convenient interaction between male/female tourists and even let solo female tourists explore the Kingdom without any restrictions. Female visitors no longer need to wear hijab (headgear), cover their faces, or abaya to wrap their bodies. This is why Saudi Arabia has become one of the top tourist destinations in the world, especially for westerners.

Do UK Citizens Need a Visa to Visit Saudi Arabia?

Those holding a UK passport would need a visa to enter and stay and Saudi Arabia. UK citizens can apply for an e-visa, and if they meet the country's eligibility requirements, they can expect to receive the approved visa within three days.

What is Saudi Arabia's e-Visa Validity?

With an e-visa, UK citizens can stay in Saudi Arabia for up to 90 days. On the other hand, the visa is valid for up to 12 months or one year. It is generally issued as a multiple-entry visa. This means you can visit Saudi Arabia multiple times during the one-year validity period. However, on each visit, your stay must not exceed 90 days stay limit.

Applying for the E-visa:

The process of obtaining a tourist e-visa to Saudi Arabia is straightforward. It is not required to provide original documents or visit the official Saudi Arabia consulate or embassy in your country to obtain a visa. The e-visa makes getting a travel permit extremely easy for the entire family. UK citizens who need to travel with infants, children, or minors can apply on their behalf. It must be noted that every traveler, whether a newborn, young adult or old, would require a visa.

Documents Needed for the e-Visa:

For a tourist e-visa, you don't need many documents. What you need to upload when submitting the e-visa form are as follows:

Passport:

A UK passport or equivalent travel document. It must be valid for six months after you depart from Saudi Arabia. The passport must have two adjacent clear or blank pages for stamping purposes.

Note:

If the passport is due to expire while you are in Saudi Arabia, please renew it before applying. If the authorities deny the visa for not meeting their desired passport validity condition, your e-visa fee will not be reimbursed.

Passport-sized Photograph

It is necessary to upload a digital copy of your passport-sized photograph. It can be in JPEG or JPG format.

Note:

The photo must not be more than 6 months old and must show your current appearance. It should be taken against a plain white background. The image should be colored, clear, and cover your full front view. You must look directly into the camera and not wear a cap/hat, spectacles, or anything that could hide your identity.

Email Address

Please make sure that you enter a valid, active email address in your visa application form. All visa-related communication, notifications, and approved visa will be sent to this ID.

Payment Card:

After completing the visa application form and uploading the documents, the final step in applying for the e-visa is to pay the visa fees. It will be processed online, so ensure you have a valid and active credit or debit card from any reputed service, including American Express, Visa, and Mastercard. You can also pay via PayPal.

Note:

Always ensure you have entered the correct information in your application form. Match the data with the passport to avoid spelling errors. Such as, you must provide the same spelling of your name in the application form as it is mentioned in the passport. If mismatches are found or the information is inauthentic, the authorities will reject the visa application, and the fee will not be refunded.

E-Visa Application Form Details:

The e-visa form has several pages; you must fill in all the fields and answer all the questions. You first need to select your nationality and the type of visa required (single-entry/multiple-entry and tourist or business, etc.).

Then you will enter your data, including full name, gender, occupation, marital status, residential address, contact number, and email address.

Next, you will provide passport data, including passport number, issuing country, issue, and expiry date.

Travel and security-related data will also be needed, including the purpose of travel, past travel history, and vaccination-related information.

After filling out all the fields, you will upload the required documents. Make sure the photo is between 3 to 100 kb and 200x200 pixels. You will upload a scan of the biography page of your passport. This can be in Word, PDF, or JPEG format. The photo can be in JPG, .JPEG, .GIF, .BMP, and .PNG format.

What is the Saudi Arabia Visa Cost?

We currently offer three different options in this category.

• Standard: The visa is issued within (2-4 Working Days) days and costs No additional cost.
• Rush: The visa is issued within (1- 2 Working Days) and costs $59.
• Super Rush: The visa is issued within (12 - 24 Hours) and costs $99.

Note:

The e-visa fees include medical insurance expenses, 5% VAT, and transaction fees. The insurance covers up to SAR 100,000 and proves beneficial if the traveler faces a medical emergency while staying in Saudi Arabia.

Points to Note for Foreign Tourists in Saudi Arabia

Women travelers can drive, visit cinema halls, and interact with males. However, it is essential to remember that Saudi Arabia laws are conservative, so it is necessary to wear decent, fully-covered dresses and avoid public displays of affection.

Since it is a Muslim country, alcohol, pork, and indecent materials such as pornography are prohibited.

LGBTQ tourists should remain cautious in Saudi Arabia as the country is yet to recognize their rights. Same-sex couples should be equally careful because same-sex relationships are illegal in the Kingdom.

Muslim tourists can perform Umrah on an e-visa and do not need to obtain an Umrah visa separately. However, they cannot perform Hajj on an e-Visa.

Frequently Asked Questions