Important Changes in the Process
- Effective as of 6th November 2023, the Saudi Arabian embassy now requires all applicants that are applying for a Saudi Visa in the UK to attend to submit biometric details as a new part of the application process. The biometric details and applications are submitted at the Visa Application centre in London by appointment only.
- Upon receipt of the documents, Rapid Visas will contact the applicant in order to book the appointment. Rapid Visas will prepare the paperwork and legalise the employment support letters.
Important steps: Our staff member will meet the applicant at the Visa Centre to hand over the prepared paperwork required during submission including the legalised employment support letter. After the appointment our team member will then collect the collection papers issued at the centre so that we can collect the passport and visa the following day, and forward them accordingly. The visa processing takes 2 working days to be issued from the submission date at the appointment. The appointment date is dependent on availability.
The Saudi Arabia Escort Visa is granted to an applicant who wishes to accompany someone to the Kingdom. This visa is reserved for accompanying members of applicants of the Saudi commercial visa and can be the spouse of the visa applicant or children below the age of 18 years. In special cases, an attendee of a patient travelling to the KSA can also be granted this visa.
To accompany a relative residing and working in the KSA from the UK, applicants need a Saudi Arabia Escort Visa issued by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. Before that, the sponsor, residing in Saudi Arabia, must apply for a letter of invitation from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Once the request is granted, the MOFA will send the visa authorisation letter directly to the Embassy in London. The applicant will also be provided a copy.
The Escort Visa can be either a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa. The single-entry visa has three-months validity from the date of entry into the KSA. The validity of the multiple-entry visa can be up to six months, one year or two years.
Applicants should know that the Escort Visa does not allow them the right to reside or work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Overstaying the visa validity can lead to fines, prosecution and deportation.
Requirements for the Saudi Arabian Escort Visa
Applicants need to submit the following documents to apply for the escort visa.
1. Passport
Their original passport, valid for at least six months from their date of entry into the Kingdom. The passport should be in good condition, have at least two consecutive empty visa pages and be machine readable.
2. Photograph
One recent passport-sized, coloured photograph has to be submitted with following guidelines:
- Size should be 35mm by 45mm
- Taken within 3 months prior to application
- Taken against a white background
- Should show the full frontal view of the applicant’s head with face in the middle
- Applicant should not be wearing spectacles or headgear (unless for religious purposes)
- Photo should not have staples or adhesive marks
- Photo should not be attached with the application
3. Medical Insurance
The Saudi Arabian Embassy in London requires all applications to be submitted along with a medical insurance policy from one of their approved providers. This is irrespective of whether an applicant already has separate health or travel insurance.
Saudi Able Link will obtain the medical insurance policy on behalf of the applicant, at the time of creating their profile on the Enjazit payment system, after the visa application form and requisite documents reach our office. We will pay for the insurance policy whilst we create the e-number before submission. The policy number will be provided to the visa applicant upon completion of the visa issuance process.
The visa medical insurance fees will be based on the standard pricing, applicable at the time of completion of the application form. In some cases, the medical insurance fee can be significantly high, depending on the applicant’s age, length of stay in the KSA and pre-existing medical conditions. In such an event, our consultants will get in touch with the applicant to provide the relevant documents, conveying the price changes.
4. Letter of Invitation Issued by the Saudi Arabian MOFA
A letter of invitation, issued as a “commercial invitation,” has to be obtained from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by the sponsor in the Kingdom. This letter should be issued within six weeks prior to the application date. The visa validity granted by the Embassy will depend on the authorisation by the MOFA.
5. Proof of Travel Arrangements
Flight ticket bookings, confirming the date of travel to the Kingdom and return to the UK, have to be submitted.
6. Proof of Relationship
Applicants must provide proof of their relationship with the person they are accompanying to the Kingdom.
- If the accompanying person is a spouse, a copy of the marriage certificate needs to be provided. This has to be legalised by the Foreign Commonwealth Office FCO, and additionally certified by the Embassy, if it is issued by a non-UK authority.
- If the accompanying person is the offspring of the commercial visa applicant, below the age of 18, their birth certificate (long version) has to be provided. This must be legalised by the FCO and certified by the Embassy; if issued by an authority outside the UK.
- Applicants married to a citizen of Saudi Arabia must provide their marriage approval, stamped by the Embassy, along with a copy of their Saudi Residency Permit. Applicants must also provide a no-objection letter from the spouse’s father, in case he is not travelling with the applicant.
Saudi Able Link can take care of all document legalisation and attestation requirements, through our extensive contacts with officials in the FCO and the consular department of the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. For all document legalisation and certification needs, applicants can email us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk.
7. E-Number Application Form
One fully completed original E-Number application form should be submitted, printed on separate sheets of A4-sized paper. This should be signed in the original.
8. Visa Application Form
One fully completed and signed application form has to be submitted. The following guidelines should be adhered to:
- Fill all information in black ink and block letters only
- It has to be filled in the handwriting of the escort visa applicant
- The handwriting needs to be consistent throughout the form
- No correction fluid is allowed
- If the applicant is under 18 years of age, the form has to be signed by one of the parents
- All sections need to be completed.
The Saudi Arabian Escort Visa is granted at the exclusive discretion of the Kingdom’s Embassy in London. The Embassy charges a registration fee of £9.00 per application. Visa approval usually takes about 3 to 5 business days. Applicants should keep in mind the consular holidays or public holidays observed by the UK government before applying.
Application Process for the Saudi Arabian Escort Visa
Step 1: The sponsor of the applicant needs to obtain a letter of invitation, issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). To get this letter, the applicant needs to submit their passport details to the sponsor, who will request for visa authorisation at the MOFA office. After issuance, this letter is sent to the Embassy in London, and a separate copy is issued to the applicant.
After the applicant receives the document, our visa consultants will check the document and translate it to ensure that everything is in order for further processing.
Step 2: Download the Saudi Able Link application package and compile the list of requisite documents to be submitted, along with the application form. You can send us a scanned copy of the documents for a free pre-checking, so that we can ensure that they are in order and guide you regarding any further requirements.
Step 3: Send the application package, with all documents, to our office in London, through the Royal Mail special delivery services. You can also visit our premises in person to submit the documents. Contact us at 02070961985, if you would like to visit our office.
Step 4: Upon receiving your application package, our visa consultants will immediately start with further processing by creating your profile in the Enjazit system, and paying the requisite fees. We will personally deliver your application package to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London.
Step 5: Our consultants will keep track of your application and keep you informed. After the visa has been granted, we will obtain your passport from the Embassy and send it to you via special courier, on a next-day guaranteed service. The courier tracking number will be provided to you upon dispatch.
Conclusion
The Saudi Arabian Escort Visa is granted to accompanying family members of a commercial visa holder. Our visa consultants are available to make the process easier to understand, so that you can obtain your visa as early as possible.
Through years of experience in the industry, we are aware of all the changes and requirements of the Saudi Arabian visa processing laws. We have also established connections with various consular offices and UK government bodies, which enables us to take care of all your document legalisation and attestation requirements promptly. Our agents are screened and reliable to take care of all your important business and personal documents. Your visa, upon issuance, will be safely dispatched to you from our office.
For any queries, contact us at 02070961985 or email us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk. You can also complete our contact form, so that one of our agents can get in touch with you immediately.
