Madinah Makkah

Tag: umrah visa

  • Umrah Visa 2026 via Nusuk: Fees, Validity and Download

    Umrah Visa 2026 via Nusuk: Fees, Validity and Download

    Planning Umrah starts with one question: which visa gets you into Saudi Arabia and lets you perform Umrah? The answer is wider than many people think. Besides the Umrah visa itself, official pages say several other visas allow Umrah too.

    This guide sticks to what the official Nusuk platform, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and Visit Saudi actually state. Where they don’t state something, such as a visa fee, we say so instead of guessing. For religious questions about the rites, please ask a qualified scholar.

    Quick answer

    Short answer: Nusuk says Umrah has its own visa, which you can get electronically through Nusuk or from a Saudi embassy or consulate. Nusuk’s FAQ also names visit, tourist and work visas; if you hold a family visit visa, confirm eligibility on Nusuk before booking. No official page we checked states the Umrah visa fee, so check the price at checkout on the official platform. Whatever visa you hold, you still need a separate Umrah permit on Nusuk.

    Visa or permit: two different things

    People often mix these up. The visa lets you enter Saudi Arabia. The Umrah permit is the booked date and time for performing Umrah, issued in the Nusuk app. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah lists the permit service as free.

    We explain the permit, screen by screen, in our guide to booking your Umrah permit on Nusuk. This page is about the visa.

    At a glance

    • Umrah visa: Nusuk says Umrah has its own visa, issued through Nusuk or a Saudi embassy or consulate.
    • Other visas: Nusuk’s FAQ names visit, tourist and work visas. Family visit visa holders should confirm eligibility on Nusuk before booking.
    • Permit: needed on every visa; the Ministry lists it as free.
    • Fee: not stated on the official pages we checked.

    Which visas allow Umrah?

    The Nusuk Umrah page lists several routes into the Kingdom for Umrah:

    • The Umrah visa, issued electronically through Nusuk, or through the Saudi embassy or consulate in your country.
    • Tourist visas, whether on arrival, as an eVisa, or through Saudi missions abroad.
    • A family visit visa, if you have relatives living in the Kingdom. Nusuk lists it among routes to Makkah, but its FAQ doesn’t name it for Umrah, so confirm eligibility on Nusuk before booking.
    • A transit visa. Nusuk says transit visa holders can apply to perform Umrah through Nusuk during their stop, but cannot use it for Hajj.
    VisaUmrah allowed?Validity stated officially
    Umrah visaYes (Nusuk)Not stated; movement between cities allowed during your permitted stay
    Tourist eVisaYes, except in the Hajj season (Visit Saudi)Multiple entry, valid one year, 90-day stay
    Transit visaYes, via a Nusuk request (not for Hajj)96 hours from arrival (Nusuk)
    Visit or work visaYes (Nusuk)Depends on your visa
    What official pages say about each visa

    Umrah visa fees

    No official page we checked states a fee for the Umrah visa. That includes Nusuk, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and Visit Saudi, which says only that “the tourist visa cost varies”.

    For the transit visa, Nusuk says it is free but subject to administrative and medical insurance fees. It does not give an amount.

    Warning

    Be careful with websites or agents quoting a fixed “official” Umrah visa fee. Check the price shown at checkout on the official platform you are using, and only pay a licensed provider. Our guide to choosing a licensed Umrah package explains the checks.

    Validity and how long you can stay

    The official pages we checked do not give a single validity period for the Umrah visa. What Nusuk does say is that the Umrah visa lets you travel between Makkah, Madinah and all cities in the Kingdom during your permitted stay. It adds that you can enter and leave through any international or regional airport.

    For the tourist eVisa, Visit Saudi describes a multiple-entry visa valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to 90 days. It says you can use it to perform Umrah but not during the Hajj season, and that visitors apply for Umrah permits through Nusuk.

    Umrah season dates

    Umrah visas for pilgrims from abroad follow a season calendar set by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. For the 1447 AH season, the Ministry’s Umrah page listed Umrah visas issued from 10 June 2025, a last issue date of 20 March 2026 and a final entry deadline of 3 April 2026. That season is now over.

    The Ministry announced the 1448 AH calendar on 17 May 2026. These are the dates it gave:

    1448 AH Umrah season, as announced

    1

    31 May 2026: Umrah visa issuance and pilgrim entry begin (14 Dhul-Hijjah 1447).

    2

    1 June 2026: pilgrims can enter Makkah and issue Umrah permits on Nusuk.

    3

    9 March 2027: last date for Umrah visa issuance (1 Shawwal 1448).

    4

    23 March 2027: last date for Umrah pilgrims to enter the Kingdom.

    5

    7 April 2027: last date for Umrah pilgrims to leave.

    Dates can be updated, so check the Ministry’s latest announcement before you book flights.

    Checking and downloading your visa

    Nusuk says the Umrah visa is issued electronically. Keep a copy from the account or provider you applied through, both on your phone and printed.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Platform has an inquiry service for submitted applications. You can search by application number or visa document number.

    Before you fly

    • Visa issued, with a saved and printed copy
    • Name and passport number checked against your passport
    • Umrah permit booked on Nusuk for your date
    • Travel dates inside the current season calendar

    FAQ

    How much is the Umrah visa in 2026?

    No official page we checked states the fee. Check the price at checkout on the official platform.

    Can I do Umrah on a tourist visa?

    Visit Saudi says yes, except during the Hajj season, with a permit from Nusuk.

    Is the Umrah permit the same as the visa?

    No. The permit is a separate booking on Nusuk, and the Ministry lists it as free.

    Last checked: 24 October 2026, against the official Nusuk, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Visit Saudi and MOFA visa pages.

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  • Visiting the Rawdah From Abroad: A Nusuk Planning Guide for Overseas Pilgrims

    Visiting the Rawdah From Abroad: A Nusuk Planning Guide for Overseas Pilgrims

    If you are flying in from Karachi, London, Jakarta or Lagos, you may only have three or four days in Madinah. That makes a Rawdah visit something to plan from home, not leave to chance. This guide is for overseas pilgrims and visa holders: how to fit the booking around your travel dates, book for family, and handle the day itself. It covers practical steps only; for the virtues and etiquette of the visit, please learn from trusted scholars.

    If you live in Madinah, our sister site has a separate guide on booking the Rawdah as a Madinah resident.

    Quick answer

    Short answer: Visitors can book a free Rawdah appointment in the official Nusuk app (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah). Set up your account and book your standard appointment as soon as your Madinah dates are fixed, because standard booking is once a year. Confirm it in the window 48 to 2 hours before, and once in Madinah you can try Instant Track for extra visits (Nusuk).

    What overseas visitors should know first

    At a glance

    • Visitors are included: the Ministry lists citizens, residents, visitors and GCC citizens as the target group, and the service as free (haj.gov.sa).
    • One standard booking a year: repeat visits are only through Instant Track, near the Prophet’s Mosque (Nusuk).
    • Separate slots: men and women have different appointment times (Nusuk).
    • Support from abroad: Nusuk lists 920002814 for callers outside the Kingdom and 1966 inside it (Nusuk).

    Plan the visit around your Madinah dates

    Most overseas itineraries split days between Makkah and Madinah. The Rawdah booking should follow that plan, not the other way round.

    Before you fly

    1

    Fix your Madinah nights first: with your travel agent or Umrah provider, confirm which days you will actually be in Madinah.

    2

    Install the official app: download Nusuk only from the App Store or Google Play, and sign in as the app asks for visitors.

    3

    Book a middle day: choose a slot on your second or third day in Madinah, not your arrival day. Flights and transfers slip.

    4

    Note the confirmation window: work out, in Saudi time, when 48 hours and 2 hours before your slot fall, and set reminders on your phone.

    5

    Join the waiting list if needed: if no slot fits, Nusuk lets you join a waiting list for one day and notifies you when appointments open (Nusuk).

    Time zones catch people out

    Your slot is in Saudi time. If you are confirming from home before you fly, convert the time carefully, or set your reminders after landing.

    Keeping your account reachable while travelling

    Pilgrims often change SIM cards on arrival, and that is exactly when the confirmation window opens. A few simple habits help:

    • Keep the email and phone on your Nusuk account ones you can still access in Saudi Arabia.
    • Stay logged in to the app before you fly, so you are not resetting a password at the airport.
    • Save Nusuk’s numbers: 920002814 from outside the Kingdom, 1966 inside (Nusuk).

    Booking for parents, a spouse or a group

    Families travelling together usually want to go together. Nusuk’s standard booking lets one person add a visitor group of up to 4 companions, but each person must approve being added from their own Nusuk account (Nusuk). So every adult needs their own account set up before you book.

    SituationWhat Nusuk allows
    You plus up to 4 companions, standard bookingYes, as a visitor group
    Adding someone through Instant TrackNo, Instant Track is individual
    Mixed family of men and womenSeparate slots, so plan separate bookings
    ChildrenNot permitted inside the Rawdah; a children’s hospitality centre is in the northern courtyards
    Who can be booked how

    The lead booker confirms and cancels for the whole group, and can cancel one person without affecting the others.

    About agents and paid “help”

    The Ministry lists the Rawdah permit as free and issued through Nusuk (haj.gov.sa). If a travel company offers to help, make sure the booking appears in your own or your group leader’s Nusuk account. Do not pay anyone to “sell” a Rawdah slot, and never share your login.

    Once you land in Madinah

    If you could not get a standard slot, or hope to return, Instant Track is the route. It is for visitors near the central area of the Prophet’s Mosque, with new appointments released every 20 minutes subject to availability (Nusuk). Treat it as a bonus rather than your only plan.

    If something changes, such as a delayed flight, cancel your booking in the app rather than missing it. According to Nusuk, a missed appointment that was not cancelled leaves only Instant Track for further visits.

    On the day of your visit

    Entry-day checklist

    • Booking confirmed in the 48-to-2-hour window
    • QR entry code showing in the app (it works once only)
    • Phone charged; the code is needed for entry
    • Arrive about 30 minutes early
    • Head to the southern side: Nusuk names outer gates 367 to 368 as closest, with signs to the assembly point
    • Plan to leave promptly when your 20 minutes end

    All details above are from the official Nusuk Rawdah page (Nusuk). For the wider first visit, see our guide to visiting the Prophet’s Mosque for the first time.

    FAQ

    Can I book the Rawdah before I arrive in Saudi Arabia?

    Standard booking is for a date you choose, so many visitors book once their Madinah dates are fixed. Instant Track only works once you are near the Prophet’s Mosque.

    Is the Rawdah permit free for overseas visitors?

    Yes. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah lists the service cost as free, and visitors are in the target group.

    Can my Umrah group leader book for us?

    A Nusuk account holder can add up to 4 companions in a standard booking, and each must approve from their own account. Larger groups need several bookings.

    What if I live in Saudi Arabia?

    See the resident-focused guide on livinginmadina.com.

    This article is practical travel guidance only and is not a religious ruling. Last checked 13 October 2026 against the official Nusuk Rawdah page and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah e-service page. Rules, slots and menu names change; follow the Nusuk app on the day you book.

    Related

    Sources