🇸🇦 Saudi citizens · 🇬🇧 UK · Tourist / Visitor
UK tourist / visitor visa refusal rate for Saudi citizens (year to March 2026)
The Home Office decided 456 UK tourist visa applications from Saudi nationals in the year to March 2026, and refused 5.5% of them — so about 95 in every 100 decided applications were issued. That is down from 6.6% in year to March 2025. Unlike the Schengen figures, this is grouped by the applicant's nationality rather than by where the application was lodged, and it is broken down by visa type, so it describes Saudi tourist applicants specifically. Withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It remains a nationality-wide outcome rather than a prediction for one case. On the money side: No set minimum. Show you can cover the trip without working in the UK and have clear reasons to return home. The estimator below weighs your own finances, ties, travel history and refusal record against that.
Last reviewed August 2026 per our editorial standards. Rate: UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02) . Rules: GOV.UK — UK Home Office .
How likely is a tourist visa to the United Kingdom for Saudi citizens? Officers focus on whether you are a genuine visitor who will return home on time. A typical applicant sees roughly 94%, and the biggest single lever is return intent. Saudi applicants generally present strong finances; outcomes hinge on clearly documented ties, purpose and funds. Saudi nationals still need a US B1/B2 and a Schengen visa (the UK now uses an ETA, not a visitor visa).
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Your trip
The essentials. Pre-filled if you came from a specific page.
Key requirements
- Passport valid for the whole of your stay
- Online application, up to 3 months before you travel
- £135 fee for a standard 6-month visit visa (2026)
- Proof of funds, accommodation, and plans to leave the UK
- Evidence of ties (work, family, studies) that draw you home
Visa fee (cost)
£135 for the standard 6-month visitor visa (April 2026 rate).
Money & funds
No set minimum. Show you can cover the trip without working in the UK and have clear reasons to return home.
Typical timeline
Apply online and provide biometrics; standard visit-visa decisions take around 3 weeks from many countries.
Common refusal reasons
- Doubt that you will actually leave the UK
- Funds not credibly explained or recently deposited
- Inconsistent or unsupported trip purpose
- Previous UK or immigration breaches
- A host or sponsor who is not credible or well documented
Where Saudi Arabia sits in the official data
Two governments publish visa outcomes broken down by country. Neither predicts an individual decision, but together they show how Saudi applicants fare relative to everyone else, and which of the destinations we cover currently refuses the fewest applications from Saudi Arabia.
US visitor visas — FY2025
A 6% adjusted refusal rate places Saudi Arabia 15th of 199 nationalities the State Department publishes — a lower refusal rate than 92% of them. The median nationality sits at 31.8%, so Saudi Arabia is 25.8 points below it.
Schengen short-stay visas — 2025
Across all Schengen consulates in Saudi Arabia, 5.2% of short-stay applications were not issued — 19th of 127 countries with a meaningful application volume, and 10.4 points below the 15.6% median.
| Destination | Refused | Issued | Decided |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2.4% | 97.6% | 83,253 |
| Spain | 2.8% | 97.2% | 57,875 |
| France | 3.8% | 96.2% | 233,101 |
| Germany | 8% | 92% | 50,841 |
| Portugal | 12.7% | 87.3% | 16,501 |
| the Netherlands | 15% | 85% | 18,777 |
| Greece | 18.9% | 81.1% | 11,391 |
Among Schengen states, applications lodged in Saudi Arabia were refused least often by Italy at 2.4% and most often by Greece at 18.9% — a gap of 16.5 points on a like-for-like basis. That gap reflects who applies where as much as how strictly each state decides, so it is a starting point for choosing a main destination, not a ranking of leniency. You must still apply to the state where you will spend the most nights.
Demand and outcome moved together for Saudi Arabia between 2024 and 2025. Schengen consulates there decided 550,463 short-stay applications, against 501,380 the year before — up 9.8% — while the refusal rate went from 5.9% to 5.2%. That easing meant roughly 4,010 more applicants were issued a visa than 2024's rate would have produced.
Sources: U.S. Department of State — Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas Only, by Nationality and European Commission — Schengen short-stay visa statistics for consulates . Schengen figures are grouped by the country an application was lodged in, not by passport.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK tourist visa refusal rate for Saudi citizens?
5.5% in year to March 2026, against 6.6% in year to March 2025 — meaning 94.5% of decided cases ended in a visa. Entry clearance tourist visa applications from Saudi Arabia nationals decided in the year to March 2026, as a share refused. The Home Office publishes decisions by nationality and visa type; withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It is a nationality-wide outcome, not a probability for an individual application. Your own case is assessed on its own evidence, so use the estimator on this page rather than the average.
Where does this UK refusal-rate figure come from?
From UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02), covering year to March 2026. We restate the published figure without adjustment and link the source file directly, so you can check it yourself.
What matters most for a UK tourist visa?
Officers focus on whether you are a genuine visitor who will return home on time. In practice the single biggest lever is return intent, so make that part of your application as strong and well-documented as possible.
Does a previous visa refusal affect my chances?
Yes. A prior refusal weighs on new applications until its underlying reason is addressed. Find out exactly why you were refused, fix what caused it, and clearly show what is different this time.
Is this a guarantee of approval?
No. GetVisaOdds is an educational planning tool, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Only a consular or immigration officer can decide your application. We show approximate odds and the reasons behind them so you can prepare better.
Is my information private?
Completely. The estimate runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server or stored — there is no sign-up and nothing to leak.
How much is a UK visitor visa in 2026?
A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for a stay of up to 6 months. Long-term visit visas (2, 5, 10 years) cost more.
Can I study on a UK Standard Visitor visa?
Yes, for short courses of up to 6 months. Longer study needs the Student route.
Why are UK visit visas refused?
Most refusals come down to the caseworker not being satisfied you will leave — weak ties, unclear funds, or an unconvincing purpose.
How long does a UK visitor visa take?
Standard processing is around 3 weeks in many countries, though it varies. Priority services can be faster where available.
