Umrah visa & entry requirements, explained plainly.

There is more than one legitimate way to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah, and the right one depends on your nationality, country of residence and travel dates. The most common pathways are:

• Umrah visa — arranged through official channels, typically via the Nusuk platform or a licensed Umrah provider in your country.
• Saudi tourist eVisa — available to citizens of eligible countries and to certain residents and visa holders. Saudi Arabia states that tourist eVisa holders may perform Umrah outside the Hajj season; Umrah is not permitted on this visa during the Hajj period.
• Visa on arrival — for some nationalities and some holders of valid US, UK or Schengen visas, subject to conditions set by the authorities.
• Transit visa — short stays linked to certain airlines and tickets, which some travellers use for a brief Umrah.

Which of these applies to you can change. Confirm your pathway on the official Saudi visa portal or Nusuk before paying for flights or accommodation.

Across pathways, the requirements travellers are most commonly asked to meet include:

• A passport with at least six months' validity beyond your entry date — a widely applied rule, but confirm the exact requirement for your nationality.
• A completed application through the official channel for your chosen visa type.
• Confirmed travel and accommodation details, which some pathways ask for during the application or on arrival.
• Proof of sufficient means or a return ticket, which border officers may request.

Women travelling for Umrah should check the current official guidance on travelling with or without a mahram — the rules and their practical application have been updated in recent years, and the Nusuk platform reflects the current position.

Saudi Arabia publishes health requirements for pilgrims each season. Vaccination against meningococcal meningitis (ACWY) has long been a standard requirement for pilgrimage visas, and additional recommendations — for example seasonal flu or COVID-19 — are published for each season. Requirements differ by country of origin, including polio and yellow fever certificates for travellers from affected countries.

Read the current season's health requirements on the Ministry of Health or Nusuk pages before travelling, and speak to a travel health professional about what applies to you.

Umrah can be performed at most times of year, but the weeks around Hajj are different: Umrah visas stop being issued ahead of the Hajj season, tourist visas cannot be used for Umrah during the Hajj period, and entry rules for the Holy Cities tighten. If your dates fall anywhere near Dhul-Hijjah, confirm the seasonal rules on official sources first.

LBBAIK's requirements checker matches your passport, residence, purpose and dates against published rules and shows each rule with its source and verification state. We do not issue visas, cannot decide your eligibility, and never replace the official source. When rules conflict or evidence is missing, we say so instead of guessing.