UK ETA for Saudi Citizens

No — Saudi travellers do not need a visa for a short visit to the United Kingdom, but they do need an approved ETA before they travel. Saudi Arabia is part of the UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which lets its citizens visit the UK for tourism, business, study or transit for up to 6 months without applying for a visa. Instead, Saudi travellers apply online for a UK ETA, which is linked electronically to the passport — there is no sticker, no label and no embassy interview.

Saudi Arabia was among the first group of Gulf countries added to the UK ETA scheme, in February 2024, and the United Kingdom is a leading destination for Saudi leisure, business and medical travel. Saudi citizens have needed a UK ETA since 22 February 2024. You can review the destination on our UK travel hub or go straight to the UK ETA page.

The UK ETA is a digital travel permission run by the UK Home Office for visitors who do not need a visa for short stays, such as citizens of Saudi Arabia. It is not a visa — it is a pre-travel screening that checks your details against security and immigration databases before you travel. For Saudi citizens, an approved ETA is now required to board a flight, ferry or train to the UK and to be admitted as a visitor for up to 6 months.

Typical reasons Saudi travellers use an ETA include holidays and sightseeing, visiting family and friends, attending business meetings or conferences, short courses of study, and transit through the UK. It does not permit taking up employment with a UK company, stays beyond 6 months, or living in the UK through repeated visits. If your plans involve any of those, you will need the appropriate UK visa instead.

• Who needs it: Every Saudi traveller, including children and babies, needs their own ETA.
• Type: Electronic Travel Authorisation — linked digitally to your passport, no embassy interview.
• Passport: A valid Saudi passport is required (the application scans the chip).
• Validity: 2 years from approval, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first.
• Length of stay: Up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries allowed.
• Purpose: Tourism, visiting family, business visitor activities, short study or transit — no UK employment.
• Processing: Many decisions within minutes; allow up to 3 working days.
• Where to apply: Online or via the official UK ETA app, before you travel.

An ETA is mandatory for every Saudi citizen who travels to the United Kingdom as a visitor, regardless of age. There is no family or group authorisation: each traveller, including children and babies, needs their own ETA linked to their own passport. A parent or guardian can complete the application on a child's behalf using the child's passport details.

You also need an ETA if you are only transiting through the UK on the way to another country and passing through UK border control. Saudi travellers have needed an ETA to travel to the UK since 22 February 2024, so it now applies to every short visit unless you already hold another form of UK permission.

You do not need a UK ETA if you already have another form of permission to be in the United Kingdom. You can travel without an ETA if you:

• hold a British or Irish passport — if you are a Saudi–British or Saudi–Irish dual national, travel on your British or Irish passport and you do not need an ETA;
• have a valid UK visa (for example a Standard Visitor, Skilled Worker or Student visa);
• have settled or pre-settled status, or other permission to live, work or study in the UK;
• have the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

If you plan to stay longer than 6 months, work for a UK employer, get married or register a civil partnership in the UK, or do anything not allowed as a visitor, you need the appropriate UK visa instead of an ETA. When in doubt, choose the route that matches what you will actually do in the UK — an ETA used for the wrong purpose can lead to refusal at the border.

A UK ETA is completed entirely online, so Saudi travellers do not upload a stack of paperwork, but you must enter accurate details that match your passport exactly. Have the following ready before you apply:

• A valid Saudi passport — check it will stay valid for the whole of your intended stay.
• Your passport number, issue and expiry dates, entered exactly as printed.
• A digital photo of yourself — you can take it during the application or upload one that meets the requirements.
• Personal details — full name, date of birth, country of citizenship and home address.
• An email address and a way to pay the application fee.
• Answers to a short set of suitability questions about criminal convictions and immigration history.

1. Get your Saudi passport ready and check its validity covers your travel dates.
2. Download the official UK ETA app from the Home Office, or start the online UK ETA application.
3. Scan your passport and take a photo of yourself as prompted, then enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport.
4. Answer the suitability questions honestly.
5. Review every field carefully — a single typo in your surname or passport number can cause delays or a refusal.
6. Pay the fee, submit your application and wait for the decision by email.

Most Saudi travellers fly to the United Kingdom from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, typically arriving at London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. Apply at least 3 working days before departure — ideally as soon as you book your trip — so that any extra checks have time to clear before you travel. Never buy a non-refundable ticket before your ETA is approved.

For Saudi applicants, many ETAs are approved within minutes, and the authorisation is sent by email. Some applications take longer and are decided within up to 3 working days. You should not count on instant approval: apply several days before departure so you have a buffer if anything needs attention. If you do not receive a decision straight away, wait for the email rather than submitting a second application — duplicate applications can cause confusion and further delay.

An approved UK ETA is valid for two years from the date of approval, or until your Saudi passport expires — whichever comes first — and allows multiple entries. On each visit Saudi travellers may stay up to 6 months. This suits a long holiday, a multi-stop trip around Britain, or several shorter business or family visits over two years.

The two-year validity and the 6-month-per-visit limit are separate: you can come and go as often as you like while the ETA is valid, provided no single stay exceeds 6 months. You must not, however, use frequent or back-to-back visits to live in the UK. The ETA is tied to the passport you applied with, so if you renew or replace your Saudi passport you will need a new ETA linked to the new document.

An ETA covers visitor activities — tourism, business visits, short study and transit — but not employment. As a Saudi ETA holder you can:

• Travel as a tourist — holidays, sightseeing and visiting family or friends.
• Attend business visitor activities such as meetings, conferences, interviews and negotiating contracts.
• Take a short course of study of up to 6 months.
• Transit through the UK on the way to another country.

You cannot work for a UK employer or run a business in the UK, stay longer than 6 months on a single visit, claim public funds or benefits, marry or register a civil partnership, or live in the UK through repeated visits. If you need to work, study long-term or settle, apply for the appropriate UK visa instead.

Most Saudi travellers only need an ETA: it is applied for online or in the app and is often approved within minutes. Choose a UK visa instead if you plan to stay longer than 6 months, will work for a UK employer, will study a long course, intend to marry or settle in the UK, or are otherwise not eligible to visit visa-free. A visa application involves more documents, biometrics at a visa centre and a longer wait. For a standard holiday, family visit or business trip of up to 6 months, the ETA is faster and entirely online.

An approved ETA lets Saudi travellers board the plane, train or ferry, but it does not guarantee entry — the final decision rests with a Border Force officer at your port of arrival. Saudi travellers are not currently able to use the ePassport gates and should head to a Border Force desk, where an officer will check your passport and ask about your trip. Carry your passport, proof of onward or return travel, proof of accommodation, and evidence that you can support yourself during your stay. Provided everything is in order, Saudi travellers are admitted as a visitor and free to explore the UK — whether that is London, Edinburgh, the Lake District or the Scottish Highlands.

• Typos in passport details: the ETA is matched to your exact passport — check every field against your passport before submitting.
• A poor-quality photo: follow the on-screen guidance so your photo is accepted first time.
• Undisclosed criminal convictions or immigration breaches: declare them honestly; concealment can lead to refusal or a future ban.
• Applying for the wrong purpose: if you will work, study long-term or stay over 6 months, apply for a visa instead of an ETA.
• Travelling on the wrong passport: your ETA is linked to one passport — carry that exact passport when you travel.
• Leaving it to the last minute: apply at least 3 working days ahead in case extra checks are needed.

Every traveller needs their own ETA, including children and babies, because each authorisation is linked to an individual passport. A parent or guardian can complete the application for a child using the child's own Saudi passport details. If you are travelling as a Saudi family, simply submit a separate ETA application for each member — each traveller is assessed individually, regardless of age.