Umrah Visa from the UK: How It Works

October 29, 2026

Man in a white thobe and shemagh wearing the black Hajj Safe bag at his side

If you hold a British passport, you can perform Umrah outside the Hajj season on a Saudi tourist eVisa or the new Saudi ETA, both applied for online. You then book the Umrah itself as a permit in the Nusuk app. Some pilgrims use an Umrah visa instead, which you can now get yourself on umrah.nusuk.sa or through an agent. Outside the Hajj season, both routes are open. The rules change often, so check each step on the official sites before you pay.

This guide explains how the Umrah visa UK process works in general terms. We have deliberately left the fees, time limits and exact form fields out of the text, because they change during the year.

Checked in October 2026 against the official Saudi visa and Nusuk websites and GOV.UK.

Umrah visa UK options: which visa can you use?

There are a few routes. Which one suits you depends on how you are booking and what passport you hold.

Visa	How you get it	Good for
Tourist eVisa	Online, yourself	Independent trips where you book your own flights and hotel
Umrah visa	Online yourself at umrah.nusuk.sa, or through a licensed agent	Pilgrims who want a group, a guide or a full package
Other visas (for example transit or visit visas)	Depends on the visa	Only where the Saudi authorities say Umrah is allowed on that visa

Saudi Arabia now lets holders of most visa types perform Umrah, including tourist eVisas, visit, transit and work visas. British passport holders can also use the new Saudi ETA, which GOV.UK lists for Umrah outside the Hajj season. None of these lets you perform Hajj. Only a Hajj visa does.

The tourist visa and the Hajj season

A tourist visa is not a Hajj visa. You cannot perform Hajj on it. In recent years, tourist visa holders have also been restricted from entering Makkah for a period around the Hajj season, so an Umrah in the weeks before Hajj usually needs more planning.

Holders of any visit or tourist visa cannot enter or stay in Makkah from 1 Dhul Qa'dah to 14 Dhul Hijjah. In 2027 that is expected to be roughly early April to late May, depending on the moon. Nusuk stops issuing Umrah permits during this time. Umrah visas for this season stop being issued on 9 March 2027, and holders must leave by 7 April 2027.

When an agent is the better choice

If this is your first Umrah, or you are travelling with elderly parents, a package through a licensed agent can take a lot of weight off you. Every Umrah visa now needs your hotel and transport booked through Nusuk before it is issued, and you must enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of it being issued.

Applying for the Saudi eVisa

You apply for the Saudi eVisa for Umrah online, yourself. In general terms, the process looks like this:

Go to an official Saudi government site: visa.visitsaudi.com, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform at visa.mofa.gov.sa. For an Umrah visa, use umrah.nusuk.sa or the Nusuk app. If the address does not match exactly, close the tab.
Create an account and fill in your passport details exactly as they appear on the photo page.
Upload a scan of your passport photo page and a recent digital photo with a plain white background, showing your full face. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are allowed.
Check the health insurance. It is included in the eVisa price and covers medical care in Saudi Arabia only, so buy your own travel insurance as well.
Pay online by debit or credit card. Check the total on the official site before you pay.
Wait for the visa by email, then print a copy and save one on your phone. Many people get it within minutes, but allow a few days. GOV.UK says the eVisa is valid for a year, allows several entries and up to 90 days in Saudi Arabia in total.

The Umrah visa requirements for UK passport holders are mostly about documents, insurance and timing. A few practical points:

Check your passport's expiry date first. It must be valid for at least six months after the date you arrive.
Sites that look official but charge an extra "service fee" are common. If the web address is not the official one, close the tab.
Keep your visa, passport and return ticket together. You will be asked for them at the airport in the UK, not only on arrival.

Booking your Umrah permit on Nusuk

The visa lets you into the country. The Umrah permit lets you perform Umrah at a set time. They are separate things, and people forget the second.

In general terms:

Download the official Nusuk app, or use nusuk.sa.
Register with your passport and visa details.
Choose Umrah and pick an available date and time slot.
Save the permit. You may be asked to show it.

Everyone still needs an Umrah permit from Nusuk, whatever visa they hold. It shows as a QR code in the app and may be checked at the entrances to the Haram. Without one you can be turned away.

A few things that help:

Book your slot as soon as your visa arrives, especially for Ramadan and school holidays.
If your flight is delayed, you may need to move your slot. Know how to do that before you fly.
The same app is used to book a visit to the Rawdah in Masjid an-Nabawi. That has its own rules.

You must book a Rawdah visit in Nusuk in advance. Men and women have separate times, and each person can usually book once a year.

Visas for non-UK passport holders living in the UK

Many British Muslims live here on another country's passport, and the Umrah visa UK process can be different for them. The eVisa list is based on nationality, not where you live. If your passport is not on the eligible list, you may still have options:

Some residents of the UK may be able to apply for an eVisa because of their UK residence permit or UK visa. The conditions are specific.

If you hold a UK visa that you have already used to enter the UK, or UK permanent residence, you may be able to get the eVisa whatever your nationality. Your UK visa must still be valid when you arrive in Saudi Arabia and when you leave. If you only have a digital UK status, check the official site first.

You can apply for an Umrah visa through a licensed agent, who will tell you what your nationality needs.
You can apply through the official Saudi visa application process in the UK.

People of any nationality can now apply for an Umrah visa online at umrah.nusuk.sa. For other visas, the Saudi Embassy in London does not take walk-ins; book an appointment at its visa centre.

Children travelling on their own passport need their own visa and permit. If a child has a different nationality from their parents, check each passport separately.

All pilgrims must also have a meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate. Book it at a GP surgery or travel clinic at least 10 days before you arrive.

Saudi Arabia requires Umrah pilgrims aged one and over to have the meningitis ACWY vaccine at least 10 days before arrival, with a certificate. Flu and COVID jabs are advised but not required. Check TravelHealthPro before you fly.

FAQ

Can I use a tourist visa for Umrah from the UK?

Usually, yes. Outside the closed period around Hajj (1 Dhul Qa'dah to 14 Dhul Hijjah), tourist visa and ETA holders can book an Umrah permit on Nusuk. Check the current dates first. When to go also affects crowds and prices; see our post on the best time to perform Umrah for UK residents.

Can I perform Hajj on a tourist or Umrah visa?

No. Hajj needs a Hajj visa and permit, booked through the official route. Pilgrims found performing Hajj without a permit face penalties.

Saudi Arabia fines anyone caught performing or trying to perform Hajj without a permit. Foreign nationals can also be deported and banned from returning for 10 years.

Do I need to book an Umrah permit if I have an Umrah visa?

In most cases you still need a permit time slot. Your agent may book it for you. Ask them to confirm it in writing.

How early should I apply?

Leave enough time for the visa, the permit and your vaccination. For an Umrah visa, apply no more than a few weeks before you fly, because you must enter within 30 days of it being issued.