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Applying for a Saudi Arabia ETA from the UK? Avoid common mistakes with passport details, eligibility, travel purpose, timing and your final application checks.
Applying for a Saudi Arabia ETA is usually straightforward. Most eligible UK travellers can complete the process online without visiting an embassy or visa centre. The problems that arise are often less about the application itself and more about small, avoidable mistakes: a mistyped passport number, choosing the wrong travel authorisation, or leaving the application until too close to departure.
This isn't another walkthrough of how to apply. It's a practical checklist of what to check before you submit, covering passport details, eligibility, travel purpose, timing, and Hajj and Umrah misunderstandings.
For the full rules, eligibility and fees, see our Saudi Arabia ETA guide.
Your ETA is linked to the passport used for your application. Before you start, make sure you're applying with the passport you will actually use to enter Saudi Arabia, rather than an old or expired passport.
You should also check that:
Your passport number is entered correctly
Your personal details match your passport
Your passport meets the current validity requirements
You will travel using the same passport connected to your ETA
For British travellers, GOV.UK currently advises that your passport should have at least six months' validity remaining after your arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Using the wrong passport or one that does not meet the entry requirements can create problems closer to your departure date. Check your passport first, then start the application.
Use your name exactly as required by the application and passport. Don't switch to a nickname or the version of your name you normally use when booking flights or hotels.
Pay particular attention to:
Spelling
First and family names
Middle names where requested
The order in which names are entered
Any differences caused by transliteration
The safest approach is simple: keep your passport beside you while completing the application and copy the relevant information carefully.
Have these details ready:
Full name
Passport number
Date of birth
Nationality
Passport issue date
Passport expiry date
Taking an extra minute here is easier than discovering a mistake after submission.
Passport number, date of birth, nationality, issue date, expiry date and email address are all details worth checking carefully before you submit.
A transposed digit in a passport number or an incorrect date can create a mismatch between your application and your travel document.
Don't rely on memory. Check each field against your passport and review the complete application before making the final submission.
This guide is aimed at UK travellers, but simply living in the UK does not automatically determine which Saudi travel authorisation you can use.
Eligibility depends on the passport and nationality requirements that apply to your journey. The current ETA scheme allows eligible British citizens travelling on a full British citizen passport to apply.
If you live in the UK but travel on a different nationality's passport, check the Saudi entry requirements that apply to that passport specifically. The rules may differ.
The ETA is not a universal Saudi visa. Whether it is the right option depends on factors including your nationality, purpose of travel and the type of trip you are planning.
Under the current rules, the ETA can be used for eligible purposes including:
Tourism
Business
Study
Medical treatment
Umrah outside the Hajj season
Hajj is different. An ETA cannot be used as a substitute for a Hajj visa, which has separate requirements.
If you're unsure which travel authorisation applies to your trip, check our Saudi Arabia Visa vs ETA vs Umrah Visa guide before applying.
For Hajj-specific requirements, also check the latest GOV.UK Saudi Arabia pilgrimage guidance.
Search results can bring up commercial websites offering to process Saudi visa or ETA applications. Some travellers may prefer using a third-party service, but you should know whether you are applying directly through the Saudi government's official platform or paying another company to submit an application on your behalf.
Before entering your passport or payment details:
Check the website domain carefully
Confirm whether you are on the official Saudi visa platform
Understand whether a third party is charging a separate service fee
Don't assume a website is official simply because it appears at the top of a search result
The official Saudi visa platform is KSA Visa at ksavisa.sa.
Using a third-party service is not automatically a problem. The important thing is knowing exactly who you are dealing with and what service you are paying for.
The safest starting point is the official Saudi government visa platform rather than an unfamiliar website found through an advert or search result.
If a website asks for information or payment that you weren't expecting, stop and verify the application route before continuing.
Don't build your travel plans around the assumption that an ETA will always be processed immediately.
Even where a published processing timeframe is available, it should not be treated as a guarantee for every individual application. Applying well before your departure gives you more time to deal with an unexpected issue.
Ideally, sort out your travel authorisation before the final days leading up to your flight.
Your ETA is one part of your travel preparation, alongside your passport, flights, accommodation and any other requirements relevant to your trip.
This is one of the most important distinctions to understand.
A Saudi ETA may be used for eligible Umrah travel outside the Hajj season, but it is not a substitute for a Hajj visa.
Hajj has separate visa and pilgrimage requirements. GOV.UK specifically advises British nationals travelling for Hajj to follow the applicable Hajj arrangements rather than relying on an ETA.
Don't assume that an ETA approved for tourism or Umrah will allow you to perform Hajj.
If your trip is specifically for Hajj, check the latest official guidance before making travel arrangements.
Obtaining an ETA is not necessarily the final step for someone travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.
GOV.UK currently advises that travellers performing Umrah must have a valid meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate, with vaccination completed at least 10 days before arrival.
Requirements can change, particularly around pilgrimage seasons, so check the latest official guidance before travelling.
The key point is simple: don't treat ETA approval as confirmation that you've completed every requirement for an Umrah trip.
Before pressing submit, go back through the entire application.
Don't only check the final section you completed. Review the details against your passport and make sure you've selected the correct travel purpose and authorisation.
A final check can catch simple errors before they become a bigger problem.
Before you submit, check:
Name matches your passport
Passport number is correct
Date of birth is correct
Nationality is correct
Passport issue and expiry dates are correct
Passport meets the current validity requirement
Email address is correct
Travel purpose is correct
You are applying for the correct travel authorisation
You are using the official application route
You have checked the latest Saudi entry requirements
One final check now can save you from dealing with an avoidable problem later.
If your Saudi ETA application is refused, don't simply submit the same information again and hope for a different result.
First, check the information you provided and review any reason or guidance supplied with the decision. If you believe you made an error, determine what needs correcting before considering another application.
The official Saudi visa platform and GOV.UK do not publish one universal correction procedure covering every possible application error. For that reason, don't rely on assumptions or third-party advice about what will happen in your particular case.
If you're unsure why an application was refused or what you should do next, check the official Saudi visa service for guidance.
TravelApp is a UK travel agency, not a visa authority, so we cannot make the final decision on your ETA eligibility or override a Saudi visa decision.
What we can help with is the wider trip, including comparing Umrah packages from the UK, Ramadan Umrah packages, and flights to Saudi Arabia.
If you're unsure which travel authorisation applies to your journey, start by checking the official Saudi and GOV.UK guidance before booking.
Quick answers to common questions. Reach out if you need more help.
The Saudi Arabia ETA application is the online process eligible travellers use to obtain electronic travel authorisation before travelling to Saudi Arabia. For eligible British citizens, it can cover purposes such as tourism, business, study, medical treatment and Umrah outside the Hajj season.
Yes. Eligible British citizens travelling on a full British citizen passport can apply online through the official Saudi visa platform. You should check the current eligibility and entry requirements before submitting your application.
The Saudi ETA is currently valid for 730 days from the date of issue and allows multiple entries. The total permitted stay is limited to 180 days during that validity period, subject to the applicable rules.
GOV.UK currently advises that your British passport should have at least six months' validity remaining after your arrival in Saudi Arabia. Check this before applying and again before travelling, particularly if your passport is approaching its expiry date.
Yes. Under the current rules, an eligible Saudi ETA can be used for Umrah outside the Hajj season. However, Umrah travellers should also check the latest pilgrimage requirements, including applicable health and vaccination requirements, before travelling.
No. A Saudi ETA is not a substitute for a Hajj visa. Hajj has separate visa and pilgrimage requirements, so travellers intending to perform Hajj should follow the latest official Saudi and GOV.UK guidance.
A wrong passport number can create a mismatch between your ETA and the passport you use for travel. If you notice an error, check the official Saudi visa platform for guidance rather than assuming the mistake will automatically be corrected.
You can apply directly through the official Saudi visa platform, while some travel agencies and third-party services may also offer assistance with applications. If using a third party, check whether it is submitting the application on your behalf and whether it charges a separate service fee.
Apply as early as practical before your journey rather than leaving it until the last minute. Processing times should not be treated as a guarantee, and applying ahead of departure gives you more time to deal with an unexpected issue.
Check your name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, passport dates, email address and travel purpose. Also confirm that you are eligible, using the correct passport and applying through the appropriate official route.
