Any Visa Holders Can Now Perform Umrah, Announces Saudi Arabia

In a recent announcement, Saudi Arabia declared that individuals holding any type of visa are eligible to perform Umrah at the Makkah Grand mosque.

In the release, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said, “Umrah can now be performed effortlessly from any location, regardless of the entry visa type, ensuring convenience and peace of mind.”

Unlike Hajj, which can only be performed at a specific period in a year, Umrah, a sacred pilgrimage to the most revered Mecca and Medina can be carried out at any point throughout the year.

However, according to the latest announcement, visa holders including personal, family, transit, labour, and e-visas, are allowed to perform Umrah rituals. 

The Ministry further encouraged foreign nations to use the Nusuk application to get Umrah permits and ensure trouble-free and easy services. It launched the application to ease the process for people wishing to perform Umrah and grant them permits using the application. The Ministry has also asked the pilgrims to adhere to the designated timings for the rituals. 

Earlier this month, the authorities in the kingdom announced new changes to the Umrah visa rules. According to the changes announced then, the Umrah visa was made valid for three months (90 days) from the date of the issuance. 

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabian authorities announced new changes to the Umrah visa rules. The new changes were announced ahead of the pilgrimage season.

The Ministry had stated that the Umrah visa will remain valid for three months (90 days) from the date of issuance. Under the previous rule, though there was a 90-day visa, the validity of the visa counted when the pilgrim entered the country. Now, the three-month validity of the visa begins from the day of visa issuance.