Individual pilgrims outside Saudi Arabia can register for an Umrah e visa through the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Umrah Program. Pilgrims now have the liberty to book Umrah pilgrimage visas directly with minimum reliance on Umrah service agencies in other countries.
Umrah requires Muslims to travel to the holy city and perform ceremonies. It can be undertaken throughout the year. However, it is strongly suggested that it must be done during Ramadan. Ramadan will begin on March 22nd and end on April 21st, 2023.
E-visa for Umrah
Performing Umrah is subject to Saudi Arabian government norms and regulations. However, there is now a new Digital Visa App for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Pilgrims need to enter their biometric information into the App, and they will get e-visa to embark on their spiritual journey. The App was created in alliance with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Tourism, the Presidency of State Security, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the National Cybersecurity Authority, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Italy, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Austria, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Andorra, Brunei, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Greece are among the countries that will benefit from a visitor visa for Umrah. In addition, Iceland, Malta, Luxembourg, Portugal, Ireland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, San Marino, Spain, Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Latvia, Ukraine, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Norway, New Zealand and Australia are among the other countries on the list.
Umrah e visa requirements
- If the applicant has a non-Muslim name, a mosque or Islamic center certificate declaring that the applicant is a Muslim must be submitted.
- The application form should include a recent passport-size color photograph with a white backdrop. The passport-size photo must be a full-face portrait of the visa applicant facing the camera. Views from the side or an angle are not permitted.
- Passports must be valid for at least six months from application submission.
- Confirmed and non-refundable airline ticket.
- A Meningococcal Meningitis immunization certificate should be included. The immunization certificate must have been issued during the last three years and within the last ten days before admission into Saudi Arabia. It must be valid for three years. When entering Saudi Arabia, the applicant must have their vaccination proof with them.
The Umrah visa is only valid for 30 days. Hajj and Umrah service providers will be fined SR 25,000 for each pilgrim who stays in the Kingdom after their visas have expired.
With the launch of Umrah e visa one can easily carry on Umrah pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia is making arrangements to meet the increasing demands of visas and queries related to the holy pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah. As Umrah carries immense significance in the lives of every Muslims, the authorities want to make it a spiritual experience away from stress and inconvenience.
