Dubai: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have launched an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) for travelers from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to enter the country.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the initiative which allows British nationals, who intend to visit Saudi Arabia, to stay for up to six months on a single entry for the purposes of business, tourism, study, and medical treatment.
Applicants wishing to secure the e-visa can submit the application form online accessible through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website; it has been clarified that the submission window for the application is open from 90 days to two days prior to the scheduled travel date to Saudi Arabia.
Interestingly, once the application is submitted, the approved visa will be delivered to the applicant via email within a duration of 24 hours which seems a major relief to the travelers.
The implementation of this new e-visa waiver for British citizens clearly demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract talent, businesses, and trade from the United Kingdom. As the UK is one of Saudi Arabia’s major foreign investor countries, this move highlights Saudi Arabia’s recognition of the UK as a significant and enduring investment partner.
Saudi Arabia is revamping its visa system and recently replaced the visa sticker with QR codes for countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Indonesia, and Egypt.
In July, the country announced new instant e-visa options for travelers with UK, US, and Schengen visas, as well as permanent residents of those countries to ease travel restrictions.
The latest visa measures also contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan in which the country aims to hit the target of attracting 100 million visits annually by 2030.
The Saudi Press Agency reports that the country has become one of the fastest-growing tourism markets globally, recording 93.5 million visits in 2022.
