Nusuk, Saudi Arabia's unified digital platform for Hajj, Umrah and visits to the Kingdom's holy sites, has surpassed 51 million users worldwide. The figure was confirmed by Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and reported by the Saudi Gazette, underlining the rapid growth of the app since its launch.
Developed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and launched in September 2022, Nusuk serves as a single electronic gateway for pilgrims and visitors travelling to Makkah and Madinah. It replaced the earlier Eatmarna application and has since expanded into a comprehensive system covering visas, permits, bookings and on-the-ground guidance.
Rapid growth in users
The platform's expansion has been steep. The ministry said user numbers had passed 30 million by September 2025, up from around 12 million the year before, with users drawn from more than 190 countries. By March 2026 that figure had climbed above 51 million. The ministry has also noted that beneficiaries based outside Saudi Arabia represent more than 90 percent of the total, reflecting the platform's international reach.
Nusuk now operates through dedicated channels, including Nusuk Hajj for registration and package booking, and Nusuk Umrah, introduced in August 2025, which lets pilgrims outside the Kingdom apply for Umrah visas and arrange services directly online without an intermediary.
A widening range of services
The ministry has said the application offers more than a hundred digital services in 25 languages. These include issuing Umrah permits, booking visits to Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah in the Prophet's Mosque, checking crowd density, reserving Haramain High Speed Railway tickets, arranging hotels and booking flights. The app also provides maps, guided tours, the Quran, supplications, prayer times and qibla direction.
Recent additions have broadened its role further. In August 2025 the ministry announced that Nusuk could be used offline through cooperation with Saudi telecom providers, allowing key features to work without a data connection - a valuable option for pilgrims moving through crowded sites with weak signal. In October 2025 a new service allowed citizens and residents to order bottles of Zamzam water for home delivery.
From a single app to an ecosystem
What began as a permit and visa tool has grown into a broad ecosystem for the pilgrim journey. The platform now spans the entire arc of a trip, from the first visa application and package selection through to movement between the holy sites and access to religious and cultural services once inside the Kingdom. This consolidation reflects a deliberate policy of routing as much of the pilgrimage experience as possible through one verified digital channel.
The introduction of the Nusuk Card, a physical identification and access document linked to the app, has extended that reach into the holy sites themselves. Saudi authorities have described the card as a prerequisite for Hajj and a means of regulating entry to Makkah and the Grand Mosque, and several countries have begun distributing cards to their pilgrims before departure.
A tool against fraud
Officials have promoted Nusuk as a safeguard against pilgrimage scams. By channelling bookings from many countries through a single verified platform, the system helps pilgrims confirm that they are dealing with licensed providers. Authorities in several countries have echoed the advice, urging travellers to use only the official Nusuk website and the agents listed on it, and to be wary of fake sites imitating the platform.
Practical advice for pilgrims
Pilgrims are encouraged to download Nusuk from official app stores, verify that any booking is made through the genuine platform, and enable the offline features before travelling to the holy sites. Keeping the app updated, confirming permits in advance and using only listed licensed agents are simple steps that reduce the risk of fraud and help ensure smooth access to services. For international pilgrims in particular, completing visa and accommodation arrangements directly through Nusuk offers a verifiable record from application to arrival.