Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh has introduced an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) system for citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who plan to visit Saudi Arabia. This new measure allows British nationals to enter the Kingdom without obtaining a visit visa beforehand and stay for up to six months on a single entry.
The EVW is applicable for various purposes such as business, tourism, study, and medical treatment. It offers advanced facilitation for entry procedures, presenting one of the channels UK citizens can use to visit Saudi Arabia.
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To obtain the waiver, Britons need to fill out an application form on the Unified National Visa Platform at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The application can be submitted between 90 days and 48 hours before the intended travel date. Upon approval, the beneficiary will receive an email notification within 24 hours of submitting the application.
It is worth noting that the United Kingdom had already implemented a similar EVW system for Saudi citizens since June 1, 2022. Consequently, Saudi citizens visiting the UK no longer require a visit visa in advance, with no need for biometrics, Visa Application Centre attendance, or passport submission for an EVW. However, visa requirements for work, study, and settlement in the UK remain unchanged.
