Travel Visa for Umrah and Hajj from the UK: Which Saudi Visa You Need

Before you can make tawaf or stand at Arafah, you need the right travel visa for Saudi Arabia. For Umrah from the UK this is now quick and done online, but there are four different Saudi visa routes, and Hajj follows completely separate rules. Choosing the wrong one, or applying with a passport that is about to expire, is one of the easiest ways to lose a pilgrimage you have saved for. This guide explains which visa fits your journey, who can apply, and the steps that keep your trip safe.

What Is a Travel Visa, and Why Does It Matter for Pilgrims?

A travel visa is permission from a country's government to enter for a set purpose and a set length of time. For Saudi Arabia, the purpose matters more than for almost any other destination. A visa that allows Umrah does not allow Hajj, and during the Hajj season a visitor without a Hajj visa can be refused boarding on flights to Jeddah, Madinah and Taif.

So the question is not only "do I have a visa?" but "do I have the right visa for what I am going to do, on the dates I am travelling?"

Which Saudi Travel Visa Do You Need?

GOV.UK lists four routes for people travelling on a full British citizen passport.

The tourist eVisa: the usual choice for Umrah

The Saudi tourist eVisa is what most UK pilgrims use. It is a one-year, multiple-entry visa, so if you plan a Ramadan Umrah and a December Umrah within twelve months, one visa can cover both, as long as your total stay stays within 90 days. Basic health insurance is built in, which is helpful for older parents.

The Saudi ETA and the electronic visa waiver

The ETA and the electronic visa waiver suit people who want a longer stay (up to 180 days) or who travel often. Neither includes health insurance, so you must arrange your own. The visa waiver also needs your flight details at the time you apply, so it works best once your Umrah package is confirmed.

The Hajj visa

Hajj has its own visa, and it is issued only with a Hajj place booked through Nusuk Hajj, the official Saudi platform. It cannot be extended. If anyone offers to take you to Hajj on a tourist eVisa, walk away: you will not be allowed to perform Hajj, and you risk fines and being turned back.

Umrah on a Travel Visa: What You Need to Know

Umrah is open all year except around the Hajj season. Once you arrive, you also need the Nusuk app for some permits. For example, praying in the Rawdah in Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah is booked by time slot through Nusuk, and slots for busy periods go quickly.

Plan for these practical points:

• Meningitis ACWY vaccine: GOV.UK says you must hold a valid certificate at least 10 days before you arrive for Umrah or Hajj. Book it with your GP or a travel clinic as soon as your dates are fixed.
• Passport validity: at least six months from the date you arrive in Saudi Arabia, not from the date you book.
• Transit: if you fly via another country and change tickets or pass through immigration there, you may need a transit visa for that country.
• Hajj season flights: if you want Umrah in the weeks before Hajj, check with your agent which airports are open to non-Hajj visitors on your dates.

Hajj Visa from the UK: The Rules Have Changed

UK pilgrims no longer buy Hajj packages directly from a travel agent. You register and book on the Nusuk Hajj platform, and the Hajj visa is issued through that booking. Hajj 2027 (1448 AH) is expected around mid-May 2027, with the Day of Arafah around 15 May, subject to the moon sighting.

Because places are limited and summer heat can exceed 50°C, use the months before Hajj to prepare your health, your documents and your vaccinations. Our Hajj packages page explains what is included and how we support pilgrims through the Nusuk process.

Not a British Citizen? UK Residents and Other Passports

Thousands of UK pilgrims travel on Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Somali or other passports. Your Saudi visa options depend on the passport you travel on, not on where you live.

• Your nationality is on the eVisa list: you apply for the Saudi eVisa in the same way as British citizens. The list includes the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and most European countries.
• Your nationality is not on the list: Saudi Arabia has allowed some UK residents, and holders of a valid UK visa, US visa or Schengen visa, to apply for a tourist visa. The rules have changed several times, so check your case with us or the Saudi Embassy before you book flights.
• Indian and other passports: an Indian travel visa for visiting India is a separate matter. What matters for Umrah is whether your Indian or other passport qualifies for the Saudi eVisa, or whether you need an agent-processed visa.
• Home Office travel document holders: if you travel on a UK travel document, such as a refugee travel document or a certificate of travel, you usually cannot use the online eVisa route. Speak to us before booking, so we can check what the Saudi Embassy will accept.

Do not forget your UK status for the journey home

If you live in the UK on a visa or settled status, the UK has moved to digital proof of status, known as an eVisa (e visa UK). Before you fly, sign in to your UKVI account and check that your current passport is linked to it. If it is not, you may face delays at check-in on the way back from Jeddah.

Travel Insurance for Umrah and Hajj

The tourist eVisa includes health insurance up to SAR 100,000, but GOV.UK recommends extra cover. The ETA and the visa waiver include none. A good travel insurance UK policy for Umrah should:

• Cover medical treatment and repatriation in Saudi Arabia.
• Include cancellation if your visa is refused or delayed (many policies exclude this).
• Declare any pre-existing medical conditions, especially for elderly parents.
• Cover lost passports. GOV.UK notes that an emergency travel document costs £125.

Buy travel insurance when you book, not the week before you fly.

Steps to Get Your Umrah Travel Visa Right

Should You Use a Travel Visa Company or an Umrah Agent?

Search for a travel visa company, or even "the travel visa company", and you will find many sites offering to process a Saudi visa for you. Some are genuine. Others charge far more than the official fee, or are fronts for fraud.

Before you pay anyone:

• Book Hajj only through Nusuk Hajj.
• Make sure your Umrah travel agent is ATOL protected, and ask for the ATOL certificate.
• Pay by credit card where possible, and ask for written terms and conditions.
• Be wary of deals that look too good to be true.

If you are booking a full Umrah package, the visa is usually included, so there is no need for a separate visa company.

Saudi Visa Rules Change Often

In the last few years Saudi Arabia has launched the tourist eVisa, opened Umrah to tourist visa holders, introduced the Saudi ETA and moved Hajj bookings to Nusuk. Travel news today can cover a rule that changes next month, so treat headlines as a prompt to check, not as the rule itself. Read the GOV.UK Saudi Arabia travel advice before every trip, or ask us.

How Al Marwa Travel Helps with Your Saudi Visa

We have helped UK pilgrims travel to Makkah and Madinah since 2012. When you book Umrah packages with us, visa processing is included. We check each traveller's passport, nationality and dates, apply for the right visa, and tell you plainly if Hajj season, an expiring passport or a travel document could cause a problem. Our bookings are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 74904), and our team answers by phone and WhatsApp before you fly and while you are away.

Travel Visa FAQs for Umrah and Hajj

Final Thoughts

In short, the right travel visa for Umrah is usually a Saudi tourist eVisa, while Hajj always needs a Hajj visa booked through Nusuk. Most problems come from small details: a passport with less than six months left, a late vaccine, the wrong visa for Hajj season, or an unprotected agent. Check those early and your visa becomes the easiest part of the journey.

Ready to plan? Read our Hajj and Umrah visa UK guide, compare our Umrah packages, or send us an enquiry.