P.2 Saudi Visa & Documents

Practical Guide - thehajj.guide

Saudi Visa & Documents

Saudi Arabia has significantly modernised its visa system in recent years. There are now multiple ways to enter the Kingdom for worship, each with different requirements and processes.

Hajj Visa

The Hajj visa is issued exclusively for the Hajj season and only together with an approved Hajj package. How you book depends on your country:

  • Countries with an official Hajj mission (for example Pakistan, India, Indonesia and Malaysia): book through your national Hajj authority or an operator it licenses, who applies for the visa as part of your package.
  • Europe, the Americas, Australia and other countries without an official Hajj mission (over 120 countries in all): register on the official Nusuk Hajj platform (hajj.nusuk.sa) and book a package from an approved provider there. Be wary of anyone offering Hajj places outside the official route for your country.
  • Only a Hajj visa (or, for residents, a Hajj permit) lets you perform Hajj. In 2026, anyone attempting Hajj without one faced fines of up to SAR 20,000, deportation and a ban on re-entry.
  • You will need to provide your passport (valid for at least 6 months), passport-sized photos (white background, recent), and proof of meningitis ACWY vaccination.
  • A Hajj visa is valid only for the Hajj season, within the arrival and departure dates set each year - check yours with your Hajj authority or operator.
  • Saudi regulations no longer require a mahram for a woman of any age travelling with an approved group, but some countries and operators set their own rules - check before booking. The religious ruling is a separate question, covered in our Women’s Guide.
  • Saudi Arabia allocates a quota to each country (roughly 1 pilgrim per 1,000 Muslim population). Apply early as places fill quickly.
Three visa routes compared: the Hajj visa, issued for the Hajj season only with an approved package, through your national Hajj authority or the Nusuk Hajj platform; the Umrah e-visa applied for on the Nusuk platform with a provider package; and the tourist visa, on which Umrah may be performed outside the Hajj season; with the documents every route needs.

Umrah Visa (via Nusuk)

Umrah visas are issued through the official Nusuk platform (the Nusuk app and nusuk.sa), together with a service package from an approved Umrah provider:

  • Download the Nusuk app or visit the website and create an account.
  • Choose a package from an approved provider (your travel agent may do this for you), then apply. You will need to upload a scan of your passport and a personal photo.
  • The e-visa is typically approved within 24-48 hours.
  • Single-entry Umrah visa: since November 2025 you must enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of issue, or the visa is cancelled. Once you arrive you can stay up to 90 days.
  • One-year multiple-entry Umrah visa (introduced July 2026): valid for 365 days, with up to 90 days in the Kingdom in total across all visits. Each visit needs its own Nusuk package and Umrah permit.
  • Book your Umrah permit (needed to perform Umrah) and your Rawdah visit in Madinah in the Nusuk app.
  • Umrah pauses for Hajj every year: in 2026, Umrah visa holders had to leave by 1 Dhul Qadah (18 April), and no Umrah permits were issued until after 14 Dhul Hijjah.

Tourist Visa for Umrah: Citizens of over 60 countries can obtain a Saudi tourist visa (e-visa or visa on arrival) and perform Umrah on it outside the Hajj season (you still book an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app). You no longer need a specific Umrah visa if your country is eligible for the tourist visa. This is valid for one year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days (check on the official site whether that limit applies to each visit or to the year). It cannot be used for Hajj, and from 1 Dhul Qadah to 14 Dhul Hijjah tourist and visit visa holders may not enter or stay in Makkah. Apply at visa.visitsaudi.com.

Required Documents Checklist

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of travel
  • Visa (printed e-visa or visa stamp)
  • Vaccination certificate - Meningitis ACWY is mandatory (must be taken at least 10 days before arrival)
  • Passport-sized photographs (4x6 cm, white background) - carry several extras
  • Flight itinerary and hotel booking confirmation
  • Travel insurance (increasingly required and always recommended)
  • Medical prescriptions for any medications you carry (especially controlled substances)

Meningitis ACWY vaccination is mandatory. You will not be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without a valid meningitis vaccination certificate. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia and carry the International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card).

COVID-19 Rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for Umrah or tourist entry. For Hajj, however, the Saudi Ministry of Health still asks for proof of COVID-19 vaccination or immunity: for Hajj 2026 this meant one updated 2025-26 dose, a completed primary course, or a confirmed infection in 2025. Rules change each season, so check with the Ministry of Health or your Hajj provider before travel, and carry your vaccination record.