Change of https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia

Change description : 2026-06-18 13:59:00: FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to Eastern Province and to Riyadh Province. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen, and all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the border with Yemen. Updated information about regional tensions (‘Warnings and insurance’ page). [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2026-05-27 13:36:28.847227461 +00:00..2026-06-18 13:07:26.056349208 +00:00

Foreign travel advice

Saudi Arabia

! Warning FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia.
! Warning FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Saudi Arabia.

Warnings and insurance

Download a more detailed map (PDF, 1.021.04 MB)

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Areas where FCDO advises against travel  

Saudi Arabia-Yemen border  

FCDO advises against:

  • all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen 
  • all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the border with Yemen

Eastern Province

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Eastern Province

Riyadh Province

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh Province

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

RegionalExercise tensionsincreased caution

TheWe USadvise British nationals in Saudi Arabia to exercise increased caution.

If you are advised to take shelter, stay indoors or find the nearest safe building and Irantake havehard announcedcover. An interior stairwell or a memorandumroom ofwith understandingas few external walls or windows as possible may provide additional protection. Where available, follow advice from local authorities on how to stay safe in relationyour location, including warnings from Civil Defence authorities, as risks may vary across Saudi Arabia.

It is illegal to film or photograph government buildings, diplomatic premises, military installations and palaces. You should not photograph, film or post on social media any footage of missiles, drones, interceptions or shrapnel you may see.

Regional escalation 

Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption.   

The Iranian regime has publicly stated its intention to target locations associated with the conflictUnited inStates and Israel. This includes US-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions.

Stay away from areas around security or military facilities, and US-linked locations.

Iranian strikes against civilian infrastructure across the Middleregion East.such Theas situationports, remainshotels, unpredictableroads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems, and airports, have decreased. However, the risk of renewed strikes remains, and further attacks could resumeoccur at short notice. You should not approach any debris or sites that have been impacted.

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See ‘Entry requirements’ page.

Before you traveltravel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide.guide Youand maysee alsosupport find it helpful to: 

topics. 

Travel insurance 

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

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Update history

2026-06-18 13:59
FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to Eastern Province and to Riyadh Province. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen, and all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the border with Yemen. Updated information about regional tensions (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-05-27 14:35
Updated information about e-visas, which includes health insurance for your visit (‘Entry requirements’ page).

2026-04-17 12:02
Update to information regarding regional escalation (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-04-14 16:33
Update to information regarding regional escalation (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-04-01 16:10
Updated information about regional escalation (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-03-20 18:18
Updated information about exercising increased caution and filming and taking photographs, and other media restrictions (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).

2026-03-17 17:23
Updated information about exercising increased caution (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-03-14 10:01
Updated information about regional escalation (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-03-09 17:16
New information about entry to Saudi Arabia (see ‘Warnings and Insurance’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).

2026-03-06 21:13
Updated information about missile and drone attacks in the Eastern Province and Riyadh Province, including the risk of shrapnel from intercepted missiles and drones (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-03-04 23:13
FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Eastern Province and Riyadh Province. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to within 10km of Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen (‘Warnings and insurance’ page)

2026-03-03 21:05
Updated information about regional escalation and leaving Saudi Arabia

2026-03-03 02:13
Advice to stay inside (Warnings and insurance)

2026-03-02 15:13
Removal of wording about staying at home and addition of wording about exercising increased caution (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-02-28 14:41
Addition of information that due to reported missile activity in the region, British nationals in Saudi Arabia should stay at home.

2026-02-27 22:31
Updated information about the risks of regional escalation (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2026-01-14 21:27
There is a heightened risk of regional tension. Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2025-12-23 16:29
Updated with information about the risks from terrorism (‘Safety and security’ page).

2025-12-10 13:34
New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).

2025-10-30 16:02
Updated information about risks from terrorism (‘Safety and security’ page).

2025-06-27 19:58
Updated information about regional risks (see “Warnings and Insurance” page)

2025-06-24 17:34
Updated information about the risks of regional escalation and the instruction to take shelter if instructed (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2025-06-22 12:32
Update on regional risks following US military strikes against Iran on 22 June (‘Safety and security’ page).

2025-06-19 20:20
Updated information about possible travel disruptions, including short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights (‘Safety and security’ page)

2025-06-13 12:36
Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran could escalate quickly and pose security risks for the wider region (‘Safety and security’ page).

2025-06-03 17:10
Updated information on Hajj 2025 (‘Pilgrimage’ page).

2025-05-06 15:48
FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to Abha International Airport.

2025-04-15 14:27
Temporary entry restrictions from 13 April for entering Mecca (see ‘Entry requirements’ on ‘Pilgrimage’ page).

2025-03-14 15:43
Removal of information about Qatif region (‘Regional risks’ page).

2024-10-26 08:23
On 26 October Israel carried out military action against Iran (‘Safety and security’ page)

2024-09-28 23:56
Updated information on the Conflict affecting Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)

2024-09-28 23:16
Updated information on the Conflict in Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)

2024-06-11 09:43
Information on Hajj 2024 (‘Pilgrimage’ page).

2024-04-26 12:38
Removal of some language on military activity in the region (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2024-04-19 15:01
Information on explosions in Iran, and unconfirmed reports of explosions in Syria and Iraq (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).

2024-04-14 09:19
13 April 2024 – drones and missiles fired from Iran into Israel (‘Warnings and Insurance’ page)

2024-04-12 20:02
Information on regional risks (‘Safety and security’ page).

2024-04-08 11:26
Updated information on laws and cultural differences, and clarification of Umrah section (‘Safety and security’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages).

2024-01-12 00:20
Update to Safety and Security page

2023-12-22 13:17
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.

2023-11-10 12:44
Information under ‘Photography and media’ (‘Local laws and customs’ page).

2023-08-04 13:35
Updated information following the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) announcement (‘Entry Requirements’ page).

2023-07-14 10:32
Updated information following the end of Hajj 2023 (‘Summary’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages).

2023-06-29 12:12
Addition of information following an incident in Jeddah on 28 June (‘Safety and security’ page).

2023-06-22 16:05
Information on Hajj 2023, travel to Jeddah, Madinah and Taif during Hajj, and about the risk of deportation for sentenced offenders (‘Pilgrimage’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)

2023-06-22 10:51
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.

2023-05-12 18:46
Saudi Government announces end of humanitarian evacuations from the Republic of Sudan (‘Summary’ page)

2023-05-10 18:27
Contact details for those needing urgent assistance if arriving in Jeddah from Port Sudan (‘Summary’ page)

2023-05-04 09:34
Information about non-British dependents travelling with British nationals and their arrival in Saudi Arabia from Sudan (‘Summary’ page).

2023-04-28 17:03
Travelling to Saudi Arabia from Sudan (‘Summary’ page).

2023-04-25 11:08
Updated information on Hajj, Umrah and Ramadan 2023 (‘Summary’, ‘Pilgrimage’ and ‘Local laws and customs’ pages).

2023-02-13 16:24
Updated information on Hajj 2023 (‘Summary’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages).

2023-01-06 15:04
Updated information following the end of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022 (‘Summary’ and ‘Local Laws and Customs’ pages).

2022-11-14 13:54
Updated information on Qatar World Cup 2022, and Local Laws and Customs (‘Summary’, and ‘Local Laws and Customs’ pages).

2022-10-20 10:07
Updated information on Qatar World Cup 2022, Safety and Security and Pilgrimage (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages).

2022-08-22 15:10
Updated information on Hajj (‘Local Laws and Customs’ pages)

2022-07-22 16:43
Updated information on Hajj (‘Summary’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages)

2022-07-11 16:33
Updated information on Hajj (‘Summary’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages)

2022-07-06 17:06
Updated information on Hajj (Pilgrimage page)

2022-06-30 17:09
Update to information on Hajj (‘Pilgrimage’ page)

2022-06-28 16:44
Update to information on Hajj (‘Pilgrimage’ page)

2022-06-24 17:07
Update to information on Hajj visa applications (‘Pilgrimage’ page)

2022-06-21 13:37
Updated information on Hajj (‘Pilgrimage’ page)

2022-06-14 15:35
Updated information on Hajj (‘Summary’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ pages), Coronavirus (‘Coronavirus’ page) and Terrorism (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages)

2022-06-10 21:58
Updated information on Hajj (‘Summary’ ‘Pilgrimage’ page)

2022-04-01 09:29
Updated information on safety assessments (‘Terrorism’ page)

2022-03-23 17:10
Updated information on entry requirements following further lifting of restrictions (‘Entry requirements’ page)

2022-03-21 11:54
Updated information on attacks on energy facilities (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)

2022-03-13 15:30
Updated information following drone attack on a Riyadh oil refinery (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages)

2022-03-08 12:11
Updated information on lifting of PCR and antigen requirements for entry to Saudi Arabia (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)