Dreaming about your next holiday in the United Kingdom? Travelling to the UK is getting even easier for Saudi nationals because Saudi Arabia is joining the UK e-visa waiver programme.
From Wednesday June 1, Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain, is joining other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with electronic visa waiver status for UK travel. This means that from June 1, Saudi nationals will be able to apply to travel to the United Kingdom for tourism, business, study or medical treatment for up to six months with the UK e-visa waiver.
How do I apply for the UK e-visa waiver?
Wondering how exactly the UK e-visa waiver works? It makes the visa process simpler, faster and makes going through UK borders smoother.
A UK e-visa waiver (EVW) allows the holder to travel to the UK without obtaining a visa provided they complete the online waiver each visit. The e-visa is meant to be a quick, digital alternative to the regular visit visa and ensures all the necessary security checks are carried out in advance of travel. So, you can spend more time exploring the sites of London, Manchester and more.
If you’re curious about how to apply for the e-visa, you fill out the form and pay a small fee of £30 or about SAR138. There is no need to submit biometric information (such as photos and fingerprints), visit a travel centre or hand in your passport before travelling from Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom.
What do I need when applying for the UK e-visa waiver?
When applying for the UK EVW, you will need your current passport, an address of where you will stay in the United Kingdom and details of your journey, including departure and arrival dates and times. You must apply for UK e-visa waiver between three months and 48 hours before you travel.
How do I get the UK e-visa waiver?
After you successfully apply for the UK e-visa waiver, it will be emailed to you within 24 hours. You will be able to download EVW onto your electronic devices such as mobiles or tablets. You can also print the UK e-visa waiver.
How long is a UK e-visa waiver good for?
As previously mentioned, one e-visa waiver is one for trip, and that trip must be less than six months. You must get another EVW or a visa if you want to enter the UK again.
You must also update your UK e-visa waiver on certain conditions including if dates, times and/or places of travel change, and if you arrive in the UK more than eight hours later than planned.
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International travel to Saudi Arabia has also been made easier, including for UK nationals. In March 2022, the Kingdom just reinstated the visa on arrival programme for those with valid UK, US and Schengen visas.
Saudi Arabia provides tourist visas to Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Andorra, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, San Marino, Spain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, United Kingdom and the United States for a period of 12 months.
From Wed Jun 1. gov.uk.
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