Visas
Which visa do you actually need?
Probably not the one you think. Umrah can now be performed on a tourist eVisa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation — a change most pilgrims have not caught up with, and one that makes a dedicated Umrah visa optional rather than obligatory for most UK travellers.
Checked against FCDO travel advice on 20 August 2026
Check before you travel
Saudi entry rules have changed several times in recent years and will change again. Everything on this page was verified on 20 August 2026, and we re-check it quarterly — but the authority is the FCDO and the Saudi government, not us. If your travel date is months away, confirm again nearer the time, or ask us and we will confirm for you.
The three routes
All three permit Umrah outside the Hajj season. They differ in how long they last, how long you may stay, and whether they are worth the trouble if you only intend to travel once.
Umrah Visa
Pilgrims who want the dedicated pilgrimage route, usually arranged through an approved agent alongside the package.
- Valid for
- Issued for the pilgrimage; a one-year multiple-entry form is now available
- You may stay
- Set at issue — confirm before you book leave
- Entries
- Single or multiple, depending on the form issued
What it covers
- Umrah outside the Hajj season
- Travel to Makkah and Madinah
- Arrangement through your travel agent as part of the package
What it does not
- Does not cover Hajj — that requires a separate Hajj visa
- A Nusuk permit (tasreeh) is required for entry to Masjid al-Haram, and is separate from the visa itself
How to apply
- We apply on your behalf as part of your package — you do not deal with the portal
- Send us your passport details, a passport photograph and your MenACWY vaccination record
- We issue your Nusuk permit before departure and send it to you
Checked 20 August 2026 · source
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Pilgrims who expect to return more than once — it is the longest-running authorisation of the three.
- Valid for
- 730 days from the date of issue
- You may stay
- 180 days in total across the 730-day period
- Entries
- Multiple
What it covers
- Umrah outside the Hajj season
- Return visits across two years without reapplying
- General travel within the Kingdom
What it does not
- Not valid for Hajj
- The 180 days are cumulative across all visits, not per visit
- Still requires a Nusuk permit for the Haram
How to apply
- Applied for online before travel
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date
- MenACWY vaccination at least ten days before you arrive
Checked 20 August 2026 · source
Tourist eVisa
Most first-time UK pilgrims — and the route many people do not realise now permits Umrah at all.
- Valid for
- 365 days from the date of issue
- You may stay
- 90 days in total across the 365-day period
- Entries
- Multiple
What it covers
- Umrah — a separate pilgrimage visa is no longer required for this
- Tourism elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, so you can add Jeddah, AlUla or Riyadh
- Includes health insurance cover up to SAR 100,000
What it does not
- Not valid for Hajj
- Shorter cumulative stay than the ETA — 90 days against 180
- Still requires a Nusuk permit for the Haram
How to apply
- Applied for online, or on arrival at a Saudi international airport
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date
- MenACWY vaccination at least ten days before you arrive
Checked 20 August 2026 · source
True whichever route you take
These are the ones that actually catch people out — a passport with five months left on it, or a vaccination given a week before departure instead of ten days.
Passport valid six months beyond arrival
Not six months from booking — six months from the day you land. This is the single most common reason a pilgrim is turned away at check-in, and it is entirely avoidable.
MenACWY vaccination, at least ten days before arrival
The quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine is mandatory for every Umrah pilgrim aged one and over. Ten days is a minimum for the certificate to be accepted, so book it well before departure — your GP or a travel clinic can administer it.
A Nusuk permit for the Haram
Separate from the visa. Entry to Masjid al-Haram requires a digital permit issued through the Nusuk platform, tied to a booked service. We issue this for you before you travel.
Hajj is a different visa entirely
None of the three routes below permits Hajj. If you intend to perform Hajj you need a Hajj visa, allocated through a separate quota system — tell us early, because it is not something that can be arranged at short notice.
Questions we are asked most
- Do I still need a separate Umrah visa?
- Not necessarily. Umrah can now be performed on a tourist eVisa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which is a change many pilgrims are unaware of. A dedicated Umrah visa remains available and we arrange it as part of your package — which route suits you depends mainly on whether you expect to return.
- Can I perform Umrah on a tourist visa?
- Yes. The Saudi tourist eVisa permits Umrah outside the Hajj season. You will still need a Nusuk permit to enter Masjid al-Haram, which is separate from the visa and which we issue for you.
- How long can I stay?
- The tourist eVisa allows 90 days in total across a 365-day validity. The ETA allows 180 days across 730 days. Both are cumulative across all your visits, not per visit — a point that catches people who plan two trips in a year.
- Do I need the meningitis vaccination?
- Yes. The quadrivalent MenACWY vaccine is mandatory for all Umrah pilgrims aged one and over, and must be given at least ten days before you arrive for the certificate to be accepted.
- Does any of this cover Hajj?
- No. Hajj requires its own visa under a separate quota system. If Hajj is your intention, speak to us well in advance — it cannot be arranged on the timescales that work for Umrah.
- What does the visa cost?
- Fees change, and quoting a figure that later turns out to be wrong helps nobody. Visa processing is included in every package on this site; we confirm the current cost in writing with your quote.