180 day cap applies as Saudi Arabia moves British visitors to ETA system

Saudi Arabia now requires British citizens to secure an electronic travel authorization before arrival, replacing the older visa-free and on-arrival options for short visits that many UK passport holders relied on.

What changed on July 1

The Saudi ETA took effect July 1, 2026 for all British passport types, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement carried by Saudi Gazette. British travelers who previously turned up expecting straightforward entry now have to apply online before they fly.

The authorization runs 730 days from issue, allows multiple entries and permits up to 180 days in the country across that window, according to GOV.UK. Saudi Gazette frames the 180 days as consecutive within a one-year period. Either way, the cap is a real ceiling, not a rolling reset.

Visas issued before July 1 stay valid under their original terms, GOV.UK confirmed.

Who the ETA covers and who it doesn't

The ETA is built for short stays only. It covers:

• Tourism
• Business visits
• Short-term study
• Medical treatment
• Umrah outside the Hajj season

It doesn't authorize employment, residence or Hajj. Anyone planning to work in the kingdom, take up residence or perform Hajj still needs the specific visa for that purpose, both governments confirmed.

That matters for remote workers. The ETA isn't a legal basis to take on Saudi clients or employment on the ground, so nomads treating it as a work-friendly loophole are misreading it. It is a visitor permit, full stop. Anyone weighing a longer stint should look at the formal work and residence tracks covered in Saudi Arabia's entry and residency rules.

What British travelers need to do now

Apply online before travel. GOV.UK doesn't list a fee on its Saudi Arabia entry page and Saudi Gazette's report doesn't cite one either, so applicants should budget for a charge at checkout and confirm it on the official portal. Passports must have at least six months of validity on arrival.

The ETA doesn't include health insurance, GOV.UK noted, so travelers need to arrange their own cover separately.

One warning worth taking seriously: overstaying can trigger large fines, detention, deportation and a re-entry ban, per GOV.UK. With a hard 180-day ceiling now baked into the permit, tracking days in-country is on the traveler.