London for visitors from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar & the Gulf: entry rules, money, SIMs, where your community is, and getting from the airport (2026)

Written for Gulf visitors by a London private-hire company that collects you from arrivals every day. Prices and rules checked October 2026; entry rules change, so confirm on GOV.UK before you fly.

Entry: ETA or visa?

UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): £20 per person (fee since 8 April 2026), apply on the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK before you fly, valid 2 years for unlimited visits of up to 6 months. Apply 3 working days ahead; most are approved within hours. Citizens of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are visa-exempt and need only the £20 ETA (replacing the old EVW).

Money, cards and cash

Britain is almost cashless: contactless cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay work in every shop, pub, bus and Tube gate (no ticket needed – just tap the same card in and out). Our cars take cards too, so you need no pounds in hand on arrival. If you want cash, use a bank cash machine (free), not the airport bureau de change. £1 ≈ $1.32 / €1.18 (October 2026).

SIM cards, plugs and the basics

Your driver will show you the SIM kiosks in arrivals, but supermarket SIMs (Tesco, giffgaff, Lebara, Lyca – £10–£15 for 20–50 GB) are cheaper; eSIMs can be bought before you fly. Plugs are the 3-pin UK Type G at 230 V – bring one adapter per device. We drive on the left; the emergency number is 999 (or 112); tap water is safe; tipping is 10–12.5% in restaurants (often already added), not expected in taxis, pubs or shops.

Arriving at the airport: what we do for Gulf visitors

Your driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board the moment you clear passport control and customs; we track the flight and the first 60 minutes after landing are free. Fixed fares to central London: Heathrow from £85, Gatwick from £85, Stansted from £85, Luton from £85 – one price for the whole car, no surge, child seats on request. Tell us when you book if you need a SIM, cash, a pharmacy or a halal/kosher/vegetarian meal on the way and the driver will stop. Heathrow · Gatwick · Stansted · Luton.

Where the Gulf community is

Summer London: Edgware Road and Marble Arch (shisha cafés, Lebanese bakeries), Knightsbridge and Mayfair for shopping, Park Lane hotels, Bayswater. Many Gulf families rent apartments in Mayfair, Kensington and St John’s Wood for July–August.

Food from home

Maroush and Ranoush on Edgware Road (open till 2am), Al Arez, Zuma and Novikov for dinner, Harrods and Selfridges food halls, halal Nando’s branches, and the Dubai-style cafés of Knightsbridge; Arabic coffee and shisha in Shepherd Market and on Edgware Road. Ask the driver for the current halal list – it changes every season.

Places of worship

London Central Mosque, Regent’s Park (Friday prayers, Arabic khutbah); Al Manaar, Notting Hill; prayer rooms at Harrods and Westfield.

Embassy and consular help

UAE Embassy: 1–2 Grosvenor Crescent SW1X 7EE. Saudi Embassy: 30 Charles Street W1J 5DZ. Qatar Embassy: 1 South Audley Street W1K 1NB. Lost passport: report to the police (101) and your embassy; we can take you there.

Good to know

Executive cars and V-Class MPVs for families with staff, multiple-stop shopping days with the driver waiting, and late-night Harrods or Selfridges runs are our busiest Gulf requests. Arabic-speaking drivers on request; ladies’ cars by arrangement. Emirates, Etihad, Qatar and Saudia land at Heathrow T3/T4 and Gatwick; business-class luggage allowances mean an MPV is usually the right car.

Next steps

Airport transfers · London food & shopping guide with prices · All visitor guides · Rushxo for Business. Get a fixed-price quote →