Umrah on a Saudi Tourist Visa

Yes. The Saudi tourist eVisa allows you to perform Umrah outside the annual Hajj season. The visa grants you entry to the country, and you then book a free Umrah permit through the official Nusuk app before entering the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Both the visa and the Nusuk permit are required.

No. If you hold a valid tourist eVisa, you do not need a separate Umrah visa to perform Umrah outside the Hajj season. What you do need is an Umrah permit, which is booked for free in the Nusuk app. A dedicated Umrah visa is a separate route mainly used by travellers who are not eligible for the tourist eVisa.

Nusuk is the official Saudi app for booking Umrah. The Umrah permit itself is free, but it is mandatory: your visa grants entry to Saudi Arabia, while the Nusuk permit grants access to perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque. Under current rules the permit is required for all pilgrims regardless of visa type, and you may need to link confirmed accommodation to your booking.

During the Hajj season, access to Makkah is restricted to holders of a Hajj permit, and tourist visa holders cannot perform Umrah in that window. Checkpoints on the roads into Makkah turn back anyone without a Hajj permit near the cut-off. Umrah is available for most of the year outside this period, so confirm the current season dates before you book.

No. Hajj requires a dedicated Hajj visa arranged through official Hajj channels or approved operators, and the tourist eVisa explicitly excludes it. You can, however, perform Umrah on the tourist eVisa outside the Hajj season.

No. The holy city of Makkah, including the Grand Mosque, is open only to Muslims, and this applies regardless of visa type. Non-Muslim travellers on the tourist eVisa are welcome across the rest of Saudi Arabia but cannot enter the central areas of Makkah.

Men enter the state of ihram before reaching the miqat, wearing two plain white unstitched cloths. Women wear modest, loose clothing that covers the body, with the face and hands left uncovered during Umrah. Everyone should dress modestly in the holy cities in line with local expectations.

Jeddah (JED) is the closest major airport to Makkah and the most common arrival point for Umrah, about a 90 minute drive away. Madinah (MED) is convenient if you plan to visit the Prophet's Mosque as well. You can also enter through Riyadh (RUH) or Dammam (DMM) and travel onward.