Umrah Visa Documentation & Requirements
Saudi Arabia has made Umrah dramatically easier to arrange than it once was — but there are two different routes into the Kingdom and they are not interchangeable. Here is what you actually need.
Get Visa HelpThis page summarises guidance for UK travellers to Saudi Arabia. It is not a substitute for the official advice, which the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updates as the situation changes — sometimes at short notice. Read the live FCDO advice for Saudi Arabia before you book and again before you fly, and sign up for FCDO email alerts.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Questions about your specific booking? Call us on 020 3137 8781.
E-Visa or Electronic Visa Waiver?
Both permit Umrah. They differ in ways that matter — and the difference is the single most common source of confusion we deal with.
The usual route for Umrah
- —Valid 365 days from issue
- —Multiple entries — up to 90 days total across the year
- —Permits Umrah at any time of year
- —Includes health insurance up to SAR 100,000
- —Apply online in advance, or on arrival at any Saudi international airport
Single visit, longer stay
- —Single entry, up to 6 months
- —Permits Umrah outside Hajj season only
- —Also covers tourism, business, study, medical
- —Does NOT include health insurance — arrange your own
- —Apply at least 48 hours before your flight (up to 90 days ahead); flight details required
Hajj is different. Hajj requires its own, separate visa — a tourist e-visa or waiver will not do, and during Hajj season the Saudi authorities restrict non-Hajj visitors from flying into Jeddah, Madinah and Taif. See our Hajj packages.
What You'll Need
Passport valid 6+ months
Your passport must expire at least six months after the date you arrive. This is the most common reason a pilgrim is turned away — check it the day you book, not the week you fly.
Meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate
Mandatory for all Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. The quadrivalent (ACWY) vaccine — not the standard childhood MenC. Get it at least 10 days before travel; certificates are typically valid for 3–5 years depending on the vaccine given. Yellow fever certification is additionally required if arriving from a transmission-risk country.
Passport-sized photographs
To Saudi specification — white background, full face, recent.
Return or onward travel
Proof of your journey out of the Kingdom.
Accommodation details
Where you are staying. If you book a package with us, we provide this.
Read This Twice
Women travelling without a mahram. The requirement for a male guardian has been relaxed — women can now perform Umrah without a mahram. Our tours include female guides and staff, and many of our pilgrims are women travelling in groups.
Previous travel to Israel. You may be refused entry if your passport shows travel to, or birth in, Israel.
Dual nationals. Leave on the passport you entered on. Entering on a non-British passport limits the consular help available to you.
Transit. You may need a transit visa if you pass through immigration, leave on a separate ticket, or your connection exceeds 12 hours.
Overstaying. Large fines, detention, deportation, and a ban on return. Know which visa you hold and when it expires.
Saudi Arabia sets and enforces its own entry rules and changes them without much notice. We confirm the current position for your specific booking — and the Saudi Embassy in the UK is the final authority.
We handle the visa as part of every Umrah package. If you would rather we just checked your paperwork, call 020 3137 8781.
Get Visa Help