ETA required
Saudi visitors need a UK ETA
ETA required for travel from 22 February 2024
Saudi Arabia is in the same Gulf ETA cohort as the UAE (travel from 22 February 2024). Saudia and BA from Riyadh or Jeddah will check the authorisation. The Home Office fee is £20. Family groups: every passport, including children’s, needs a separate ETA. An ETA is not a UK work visa and not a substitute for a Standard Visitor visa if you are travelling on a different nationality. If you hold a second passport that is a visa nationality (for example some dual nationals), the passport you fly on decides the route.
Saudi travel facts
| Passport | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Roll-out | ETA required for travel from 22 February 2024 |
| What you need | UK ETA (£20) |
| Stay | Usually up to 6 months as a visitor |
| Work | Not allowed on visit permission |
| Landside transit | ETA required if you pass UK border control |
Mistakes saudi visitors make
- Paying a Riyadh travel office several hundred riyals for the same GOV.UK form.
- Assuming a UK visit visa from years ago is still valid — old vignettes expire; ETA is the current visitor route for Saudi passports.
London notes for Saudi arrivals
RUH–LHR often lands T4 or T5. For Knightsbridge or Mayfair hotels, Heathrow Express plus a short taxi can beat the Piccadilly line with heavy luggage. Do not pay congestion twice: Express is rail, not a car, so no Congestion Charge on that leg.
FAQs
- Do Saudi citizens need a UK visa?
- For ordinary tourism, no — you need an ETA. Other reasons (work, study, joining family) still use visas.
- Can I apply at the airport in Riyadh?
- Do not plan on it. Apply at least three working days ahead.
Other passports
Bodhixt is not affiliated with UKVI. Confirm on GOV.UK before you book. Apply via https://www.gov.uk/eta only.