The cost of performing Umrah is set to rise for pilgrims from several countries following the introduction of a mandatory meal voucher scheme built into the Umrah visa process. Under the policy, every pilgrim will pay 20 Saudi riyals per day for a Nusuk meal voucher, with the charge embedded in the visa fee rather than collected separately.
The change was reported on 17 July 2026 by Hajj Reporters. According to the policy dispatch it cited, the scheme is scheduled to take effect from the 1st of Rabi al-Awwal and will begin in four countries before expanding more widely.
How the voucher works
The meal voucher operates in a similar way to the transport service already integrated into the Nusuk platform. The charge is calculated based on the pilgrim's length of stay and verified before the Umrah visa is issued. A longer stay therefore means a higher total voucher cost, added automatically to the visa fee.
Once in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims redeem the voucher for meals. More than 10,000 restaurants linked to the Nusuk application are expected to take part, allowing pilgrims to use their allowance at participating outlets during their stay. The system is designed to guarantee that every pilgrim has funded access to food throughout the journey.
Which pilgrims are affected first
The policy will initially apply to pilgrims from four countries: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt. These nations together account for a very large share of the world's Umrah travellers, so the scheme will reach millions of pilgrims from its earliest phase.
A wider rollout is expected to follow, meaning pilgrims from other countries should anticipate the same charge in time. The phased approach lets authorities test the system in high-volume markets before extending it across the board.
At 20 riyals a day, the added cost is modest for a short trip but grows with longer stays. A pilgrim spending ten days in the Kingdom would pay 200 riyals in voucher fees, on top of visa, package, flight and accommodation costs. For families travelling together, the combined figure is larger still.
Part of the Nusuk model
The meal voucher reflects Saudi Arabia's strategy of bundling services into the Nusuk platform and making them a standard part of the pilgrim journey. Transport is already handled this way, and catering now follows the same logic of pre-payment and digital verification.
Supporters of the approach argue it ensures pilgrims are properly fed and reduces reliance on informal arrangements. It also channels spending into an accredited network of restaurants and gives authorities better oversight of services. Critics note that mandatory add-ons raise the overall price of Umrah at a time when pilgrims are already facing rising travel and accommodation costs.
Practical tips for pilgrims
Pilgrims from the affected countries should budget for the daily voucher when planning their trip and ask their travel agency for a clear breakdown of the visa fee, so they can see the catering charge separately. Confirming the total in advance helps avoid surprises at booking.
Because the voucher is tied to length of stay, pilgrims planning longer visits should factor the cumulative cost into their budget. On arrival, it is worth checking which nearby restaurants are part of the Nusuk network so the allowance is not wasted, and keeping track of the voucher balance through the application during the stay.
Pilgrims should also confirm the exact start date that applies to their booking, since the timing is given in the Hijri calendar and the charge depends on when the visa is issued. Those booking through an agency can ask whether the voucher is already included in a quoted package price to avoid paying twice. Planned carefully, the allowance need not go to waste, and it can cover a real share of daily food costs during the trip.