Do you need a visa for Saudi Arabia with a British passport?
Electronic authorisation (eTA)
With a British passport, Saudi Arabia requires an electronic travel authorisation, obtained online before departure, for a stay of up to 180 days.
Alternative route: visa on arrival.
Rule checked on 18 October 2026
Data last updated on 18/10/2026
Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), visualpharm (MIT), xpressmike (CC BY-SA 4.0), VisaMundial (CC BY 4.0). Each rule is decided by majority vote across these sources; disagreements are arbitrated against official government sources.
This is for guidance only: entry rules change without notice. Confirm it before you travel with the consulate or embassy of your destination, and with the relevant authorities (your airline, border police).
Climate & seasons
When to go to Saudi Arabia?
Monthly averages over the past 5 years (Open-Meteo).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our take | ||||||||||||
| Weather | ||||||||||||
| High | 21° | 23° | 29° | 33° | 38° | 42° | 43° | 43° | 40° | 35° | 28° | 23° |
| Rain (mm) | 19 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 19 |
Frequently asked questions
- How long can you stay in Saudi Arabia with a British passport?
- With a British passport, the permitted stay in Saudi Arabia is up to 180 days under the “electronic authorisation (eta)” regime. Checked on 18 October 2026.
- What do you need to do before travelling to Saudi Arabia?
- With a British passport, Saudi Arabia requires an electronic travel authorisation, obtained online before departure.
- Is there another way to enter Saudi Arabia?
- Yes: visa on arrival. The main answer gives the step to take before departure; this second route is the fallback option.
- Where does this information come from, and is it up to date?
- It is the majority vote of four open datasets (Wikipedia, visualpharm, xpressmike, VisaMundial), re-synchronised every month; last checked on 18 October 2026. Entry rules change without notice: confirm with the consulate before you travel.