Key points
- Saudi Arabia will launch an ETA for UK passport holders on July 1, 2026.
- The authorization allows multiple entries and stays of up to 180 days over one year.
- It covers tourism, business, and short-term study but not work, residence, or Hajj visas.
- Saudi authorities describe it as a reciprocal step after the UK introduced its own ETA for Saudi nationals.
The ETA covers tourism, business, and short-term study, and is framed as a reciprocal measure following the UK’s own ETA requirement for Saudi nationals
Saudi Arabia will roll out an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for British citizens starting Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The new system will apply to holders of all types of UK passports and allow multiple entries with stays totaling up to 180 days within a one-year period, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The ETA covers tourism, business, and short-term study. It does not replace work, residence, or Hajj visas: travelers going for any of those still need the relevant visa.
Saudi Arabia frames the move as reciprocal
Riyadh has positioned the announcement as a direct response to the UK’s own ETA requirement for Saudi nationals. Since the UK launched its Electronic Travel Authorization system, Saudi passport holders must now go through the UK’s own ETA process whenever they want to visit Britain visa-free. The UK ETA currently costs £20 ($26) and permits stays of up to six months for purposes including tourism and family visits.
The UK’s previous Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) route is no longer an option for Saudi nationals or several other Gulf nationalities, who have been moved onto the ETA system instead.
How the Saudi ETA compares to existing options
British travelers already have digital routes into Saudi Arabia, and the new ETA sits alongside these rather than clearly replacing them.
For tourism, UK nationals currently qualify for the Saudi tourist eVisa through the Visit Saudi portal. That visa is valid for one year, supports multiple entries, and allows stays of up to 90 days per visit. It covers tourism, events, family visits, leisure, and Umrah outside the Hajj season, but does not include study.
There is also the Saudi Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW), which British travelers can currently use for tourism, business, medical treatment, study, and Umrah outside the Hajj season. The EVW grants a single entry with a stay of up to six months but does not include medical insurance. The EVW requires an online application between 90 days and 48 hours ahead of the scheduled flight.
Unlike the single-entry EVW, the ETA allows multiple entries, and British travelers can spend up to 180 days in Saudi Arabia within one year, either in one stay or across several visits.
Update: the ETA launched on July 1, 2026. For the full eligibility rules, required documents and processing times, see the Saudi Arabia ETA page, or the Saudi Arabia visa hub for a comparison of every document British travelers can use.
