Umrah Visa: How to Apply for Visa to Perform the Pilgrimage?

Annually, hundreds of thousands of Muslims from across the globe book their Umrah packages with flights and arrive in the holy region for the rituals of minor pilgrimage. As a sunnah pilgrimage, Umrah’s performance holds rewards for pilgrims that are no less than that of Hajj.

Just like any other international travel trip, if you are intending to offer Umrah rituals you need to obtain a valid Umrah visa first. Different types of visas allow travelers to offer holy rituals. Here’s a brief description of them.

Types of Umrah Visa.

1. Umrah visa with a validity of 90 days.
2. Umrah e-visa with a validity of 90 days.
3. Tourist visa;
   1. Multiple entry visa.
   1. Valid for one year.
   1. Stay in Saudia Arabia for up to 90 days per visit.
4. Tourist e-visa;
   1. Multiple entry visa.
   1. One-year validity.
   1. Stay up to 90 days per visit in Saudia Arabia.
5. Hajj Card;
   1. Available within 24 hours.
   1. Can be extended for up to 3 months.

Umrah visa.

Umrah visas can only be applied through the channel of a certified travel agent.

• Fill out an application form with valid details.
• Submit the necessary travel documents;
  • A completed original Umrah visa application form.
  • Two latest passport-sized color photographs with a white background.
  • Copy of a confirmed and non-refundable airline ticket.
  • Proof of prebooked hotel accommodation.
  • Vaccination certificates for all the specified vaccines for your region of travel.
  • Such a pilgrim should depart from Saudi Arabia within two weeks from the arrival date.

Hajj card.

Pilgrims intending to offer Umrah rituals can also go for it through a hajj card. To apply for it without a travel agent you’ll need;

1. A passport-sized photograph.
2. Passport with 6-month validity.
3. Women as well as children must be accompanied by their husbands or fathers necessarily.

How to apply?

• Visit the online portal for the Umrah application.
• Sign up with a travel agent of your choice.
• Enter your travel and trip details.
• Book your desired hotels and flights.
• Submit.

Electronic umrah visa.

Saudia Arabia offers e-visa for the performance of holy rituals to the citizens of specific countries as well. To obtain an electronic Umrah visa;

• Go to the online application portal.
• Fill up the form with valid details.
• Upload the required documents;
  • Passport.
  • Recent passport-sized photos.
  • Personal information.
  • Current email address.
  • A debit card or credit card information.
• Pay the service fee.
• Wait for 1-5 days.

You’ll be issued an electronic Umrah visa online.

Fee for Umrah visa.

If it’s your first Umrah travel of the year, the Saudi  Ministry of Hajj and Umrah don’t charge any fee to issue an Umrah visa i.e. it is free of cost for the pilgrims.

However, if the time between your previous Umrah and the one you are applying for is less than a year, an additional fee/tax of up to 2,044 SAR (or 438 GBP) is imposed on the pilgrim.

Processing time.

The Umrah visa processing can take anywhere between five to ten days but not more than that.

Umrah on a tourist visa.

Citizens of some particular countries are also allowed to perform Umrah rituals on their tourist visa to the kingdom as well which is available online as well as through visa-on-arrival procedures. The list of such countries is present on the official website of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

So, that’s how you can apply for a visa to offer a minor pilgrimage.

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