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.
To travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, travellers need to obtain a visa from the Saudi consulate or mission in their country. This is also applicable for holders of diplomatic passports. Diplomatic passports are international identity documents, issued by a country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to diplomats, such as country-heads, high-ranking public ministers, ambassadors and other government officials and their families, who are required to travel to other countries on behalf of their government, with an intended official purpose.
To obtain a Saudi Arabian Diplomatic Visa, applicants require a diplomatic passport, along with a letter of invitation, issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). UK nationals need to submit both these documents to the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London at the time of visa application. The purpose of travel should be strictly government-related.
The Embassy issues two types of diplomatic visas for travel to the Kingdom. A single-entry visa, which has three month validity, and a multiple-entry visa, which allows the visa holder to enter and exit the Kingdom multiple times, over a period of 6 months.
Requirements for a Saudi Arabian Diplomatic Visa
The documents required while applying for this visa are as follows:.
1. Passport
The applicant’s actual signed diplomatic passport needs to be submitted. The passport has to be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the Kingdom, and contain two successive blank facing visa pages. The document needs to be machine readable and not be frayed, torn or damaged in any way.
2. Photograph
One coloured photograph of the applicant needs to be submitted, strictly adhering to the following criteria:
- Photographs should have been taken within the last 3 months
- It should have been taken against a white background
- It should be 35mm by 45 mm in size
- It should show a full frontal view of the applicant’s face. Make sure the face is centered in the middle
- No spectacles or headwear is to be worn (except for religious purposes)
- The photo should not be affixed to the application form
- No evidence of staples or adhesive should be present
- It should be printed on high-quality photo paper
3. Letter of Invitation Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Saudi Arabia
Applicants must have a visa invitation letter issued by the MOFA in Saudi Arabia, which has to be obtained by the embassy or sponsor, based in the Kingdom, inviting the applicant to the country. This letter should mention the duration of stay in the KSA.
4. Letter of Introduction Issued by a Department of the UK Government
The applicant also needs to submit the original letter of introduction, issued by their UK employer; which in this case could be a department of the UK government. The letter needs to specify the applicant’s name, position, title, purpose of travel, duration of the trip, contact person in Saudi Arabia and the number of entries into the KSA requested for.
You can check the template for the Employer Support Letter before starting the visa process.
5. Proof of Travel Arrangements
Detailed copy of flight bookings for Saudi Arabia; both in-bound and out-bound, need to be submitted.
6. E-Number Application Form
The original E-Number Application form, fully completed and signed by the applicant has to be submitted. The form should be printed on 4 separate sheets of A4-sized paper, with the reverse side being blank.
7. Visa Application Form
Applicants can download the application pack from the Saudi Able Link website and submit a fully completed original application form with their signature. The following are some guidelines for filling the form:
- Use only black ink to fill the form
- Fill the form in block letters
- The form should be filled in the applicant’s handwriting consistently
- No correction fluid or handwritten alterations are allowed
- Ensure that all sections are completed, including the lower section
If you are unsure about any section of the categories in the form, contact our visa consultants on 02070961985 or email us at https://www.saudiarabiavisa.co.uk/contact-us.html.
We recommend that applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom through the Saudi-Bahrain Causeway, check their visa terms and conditions before departure. The decision to issue or reject a Saudi Arabia Diplomatic Visa rests with the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. Once the application has been submitted to the Embassy, the process cannot be cancelled or expedited.
For withdrawal of application, the applicant needs to submit a letter addressed to the Embassy via Saudi Able Link. The Embassy will return the original passport, but the process of application will stand cancelled. Applicants will need to submit a fresh application to re-start the process.
The visa processing time could be anywhere between 3 and 5 business days. Applicants should consider any consular holidays or UK government holidays, which could impact the processing time. The Embassy stays closed on Fridays.
Application Process for a Saudi Arabian Diplomatic Visa
Step 1: The UK Embassy in Saudi Arabia or the concerned government department in the Kingdom inviting you will need to obtain a letter of invitation for you, issued by the MOFA, Saudi Arabia. Once this letter is sent to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London, your application can proceed further. Once you have the invitation, our visa agents will translate it and ensure it is in the correct order to be processed by the Embassy.
You can send the letter to us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk. We can also take care of any document legalisation and attestation requirements, through our extensive contacts in the Kingdom’s consulate and representative offices in London.
Step 2: Download the Saudi Able Link Application Pack and complete the visa application form. Compile the supporting documents and send scanned copies of these documents, along with your application form, to us. Our consultants will conduct a free pre-check to ensure they are in order and guide you on any further requirements.
Step 3: Send all the documents with the application pack to our office in London, through the Royal Mail Special Courier. You can also submit the documents personally at our office in London. Contact is at 02070961985, if you would like to visit our office.
Step 4: After we receive your application package, our visa consultants will submit it to the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. Once the Embassy authorises the visa, you will receive a notification. It is our responsibility to ensure that your passport, with the stamped visa, reaches you at your provided address. We will send it through special delivery courier services, on a next-day guaranteed service. The courier tracking details will be provided to you on dispatch.
Conclusion
The Saudi Arabian Diplomatic Visa is issued to representatives of the UK government, visiting the KSA on government matters. Applicants can rest assured that our specially screened visa consultants are equipped to take care of confidential state documents and personal information documents responsibly, and submit them to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London.
We have forged extensive ties with officials at the Saudi consulate and other government bodies, such as the ABCC (Arab British Chamber of Commerce),the FCO (Foreign Commonwealth Office), London, and the Saudi Chamber of Commerce, to fulfil all document legalisation and attestation requirements.
Once your documents reach our office, the application procedure will start immediately. It is our responsibility to keep you informed regarding the status of your visa processing.
If you have any queries, our consultants are available to assist you. You can get in touch with us at 02070961985 or email any enquiries to help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk. Apart from this, you can fill in our contact form, so that one of our visa consultants can immediately get in touch with you.
