Hajj and Umrah Visas

Hajj and Umrah Visas are visas issued by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They enable their holders' entry into the Kingdom to perform Hajj or Umrah rituals. They are regulated by the "Statute for the Treatment of Persons Arriving in the Kingdom on Hajj, Umrah or Other Visas," issued in 1984. The statute enables coordination between the Minister of Interior, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, and Minister of Commerce, for regulating entry visas granted to those seeking to perform Hajj and Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque. It also determines the authority and conditions for granting visas, residence period in Makkah al-Mukarramah, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, and Jeddah, as well as the prohibitions imposed on the visitors for the aforementioned purposes.

Pursuant to the Statute for the Treatment of Persons Arriving in the Kingdom on Hajj, Umrah or Other Visas, persons arriving on those visas may not reside in the Kingdom after the visa expiry. They are also prohibited from working in the Kingdom. The Pilgrims' Affairs Offices in relevant countries are responsible for selecting pilgrims according to the country's laws and processes and completing registration and contracting processes.

Requirements for granting the Hajj and Umrah visa include a roundtrip ticket, an insurance policy, accommodation, transportation, and field services package booking with one of the approved Saudi Umrah companies. Arrival to the Kingdom is also permitted pursuant to an electronic visa issued by Visit Saudi.

On July 4, 2023, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah started issuing Umrah electronic visas to enable the arrival of more Muslims into the Kingdom to perform Umrah rituals, visit Holy sites, and facilitate their arrival process there. Requests for issuing electronic visas should be made via Nusuk platform. Nusuk platform is known for facilitating the processes for Muslims' arrival into Makkah al-Mukarramah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. It enables the selection of accommodation, residence, and transportation services. It also offers enriching information and interactive maps in several languages. They can be accessed via simple steps and are available round-the-clock. Throughout the fifteen months following the beginning of the 2023 Umrah season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issued four million Umrah visas.

In 2024, the Saudi Ministry of Interior launched the digital ID service for those arriving in the Kingdom on a Hajj visa. The ministry developed the pilgrims' digital ID in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SADIA) to enable the electronic verification of the pilgrims' identity on "Absher" platform and "Tawakkalna" application, ultimately facilitating its use during their trip.