Umrah scams: how to check a licensed Umrah agent and avoid fake visa websites

The most common scams

The UK government warns that organised crime groups target people planning Umrah, and that many victims are over 65. It also notes that criminals advertise fraudulent deals through licensed travel companies. Three patterns come up again and again.

• The phantom package: a trip paid in advance, then no visa, no tickets and no hotel.
• The "visa only" Umrah: an Umrah visa offered without accommodation or transport, which Saudi rules do not allow.
• The fake official website: a site that imitates a public portal and charges more for a procedure without saying so. In France, the administration warns that many sites charge fraudulently for official procedures.

Word of mouth is not enough: the UK government advises researching the company before you book, even if family or friends recommended it.

Checking the agent on the Saudi side

For the Umrah visa, every pilgrim coming from abroad is linked to a contract with a Saudi Umrah company. The official FAQ points to the ministry's website for the list of authorised providers. As early as 2023, the ministry reminded pilgrims that dealing with licensed companies guarantees their rights.

The official Nusuk Umrah platform states that all the providers it lists are licensed by the ministry, and publishes them on a "Service Providers" page. It also explains how to recognise its official sites: a .sa address and a secure (https) connection.

For the 1448 season, according to Gulf News, contracts between external agents and Umrah companies are concluded on the Nusuk platform, using a single model that can be verified by QR code. Ask your agent which Saudi company it works with.

Checking the agent in your own country

Saudi approval does not replace the rules of the country you travel from. Those rules are what protect you if the agent fails.

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In France, registration requires a financial guarantee. Atout France explains that it is there, if the operator fails, to refund customers' advance payments and pay for their emergency repatriation. In late 2024, the French insurance supervisor (ACPR) warned about fake guarantee certificates: rely on the register, not just the document the agent shows you.

Warning signs

• An Umrah visa offered without accommodation or transport.
• A provider missing from the Nusuk Umrah list, or an agent with no ATOL or registration you can check at home.
• A website that claims to be official but whose address does not match the public portals.
• "Official" fees higher than those shown on the official portal.
• A request to pay in cash or by bank transfer to an individual. The UK government advises using a credit card where possible.
• A visa or permit sent as a mere screenshot: check it on the official portal or in the Nusuk app.

To see what a visa really costs, our guide to official Saudi visa fees gives the published amounts and what is refundable.

If you have been defrauded

1. 1

   Call your bank

   Straight away, to try to stop or dispute the payment.

2. 2

   Keep the evidence

   Messages, receipts, contract, website address and screenshots, names of the people you dealt with.

3. 3

   Report it

   In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud, on 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, to Police Scotland on 101. In France, on SignalConso, the consumer fraud platform, and with a police complaint.

4. 4

   Contact the guarantor

   If the agent was registered in France, Atout France's register names its financial guarantor, to whom you send your refund claim.

And us: how to check myumrahvisa

myumrahvisa is a private service with no link to the Saudi authorities. We sell no trips or packages: we submit your tourist eVisa application on the official portal after checking your file. The official fees and our price are shown separately.

You can check us like any other provider: who we are, our legal notice with the company name and address, and our data security page on how we handle your passports. If anything seems unclear, ask us before you entrust us with anything.