“The fault affects all applications from Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar and is preventing any visa from being issued at the present time,” said Nick Heath, spokesman for the British Embassy in Riyadh.

The three visa application centers will, however, process applications from people who have appointments. Heath said updates on the matter can be found on the embassy’s website and Facebook page called “UK in Saudi Arabia,” adding that the embassy’s IT team is working hard to clear the problem.

“I want to apologize for the inconvenience this is causing … we are deeply frustrated at the ongoing computer problems,” said Heath. He added that Saudis had come to expect a platinum service from the embassy’s visa section. “We want to get back to that standard of service as soon as possible,” he said.

Some applicants were turned away on Monday and Tuesday because of the problems, said Adel Al-Ghannam, a Saudi national who visited the embassy on Monday. “If the fault is not repaired quickly, it will be a problem for many Saudis and residents like me who are planning to visit different British destinations this year,” he added.

Ninety-four thousand Saudis and residents visited the UK in 2009 compared to 80,000 the year before.

An upward trend is noticeable so far as the number of visitors from Saudi Arabia to the UK is concerned. According to a report released by the Visit Britain’s Chief Executive Sandie Dawe, visitors to the UK from Gulf countries reached 589,000 last year. This number is expected to increase to 100,000 this year.  Saudis spent over £200 million last year in the UK, while overseas residents made 31.9 million visits to the UK in 2008.