Abstract: Process for pickling stainless steel carried out at a temperature of between 20° and 70° C., with the use of a pickling solution containing the following basic ingredients: H2SO4 (free acid): 50 to 200 g/l HF (free acid): 0 to 60 g/l F− anion (total): 5 to 150 g/l SO42− anion (total): 50 to 350 g/l Total free acidity (H2SO4+HF): between 1 and 7 g. equiv./l where by “free acid” is meant the acid that does not constitute the anion bound in the form of salts or complexes with the metal cations present in the solution; and, in addition: Fe3+ in a quantity of at least 15 g/l chloride anion in a quantity of between 0.1 and 10 g/l, into which solution is fed, during the pickling process, an oxidant that is able to oxidize Fe2+ to Fe3+ in order to maintain the redox potential of the solution at a value of between +230 and +800 mV.