Preparing your Umrah
Umrah insurance: the mandatory Saudi visa cover, and what it leaves out
In short
Yes, medical insurance is mandatory for Umrah: it is part of both the tourist eVisa and the Umrah visa application, and it is paid with the visa. It covers medical emergencies in Saudi Arabia, not trip cancellation or baggage. Additional travel insurance remains useful for those risks.
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Mandatory medical insurance, taken out with the visa
You cannot go on Umrah without Saudi medical insurance: it is paid together with the visa and chosen from companies approved in Saudi Arabia. It is not a separate step.
| eVisa insurance | Umrah visa insurance | Additional travel insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory? | Yes, a step of the application | Yes, with the visa | No |
| Who provides it | An approved insurer, chosen during the application | An approved insurer, linked to the visa | The insurer of your choice |
| Where it applies | As set by the insurer's policy | Saudi Arabia only | As set by the policy |
| What it covers | Emergencies only | Medical emergencies and accidents | As set by the policy: cancellation, baggage, assistance |
| Price | Set by the insurer, plus $10.5 in digital fees | Shown before you pay | Set by the insurer |
Tourist eVisa insurance
During the eVisa application on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs platform, one step deals with medical insurance. You choose an insurer from a list of companies approved in Saudi Arabia, and the platform states that this insurance covers emergency cases only.
The exact benefits, limits and duration depend on the insurer you pick, so read the certificate you receive with the visa. The full cost of the eVisa, item by item, is in our guide to Saudi visa costs.
Insurance with the Umrah visa
The official Umrah visa page on ksavisa.sa also lists insurance fees that vary with the insurer, and an insurance digital services fee. Packages published on the Nusuk Umrah platform describe an insurance programme for pilgrims arriving from abroad.
The listing sets out the following benefits, each up to a limit:
- Hospital stays, room, nursing care and prescribed medicines, plus accommodation for a companion.
- Emergency pregnancy and childbirth, premature babies, emergency dental treatment, emergency dialysis.
- Injuries from road accidents.
- Medical evacuation within and outside the Kingdom, and travel for a close relative.
- Repatriation of remains to the home country.
- Permanent disability or death caused by an accident.
- Flight delays of more than four hours departing the Kingdom, and flight cancellation.
The price varies with the insurer, according to ksavisa.sa. The benefits on that listing may change; those in your own policy are what count.
What the mandatory insurance does not cover
The same official listing names its exclusions. The main ones:
- Non-urgent care that can wait until you are back home.
- Dental implants and dentures, orthodontics, glasses, sight and hearing tests.
- Pregnancy beyond six months.
- Death or disability from natural causes.
- Repatriation of remains to a country other than the home country.
- Lost, stolen or damaged baggage, and indirect financial losses.
- Delays already announced, and strikes announced before the policy started.
Nothing covers cancelling the trip before departure, or care received during a stopover in another country. If you live in a country other than that of your nationality, check what "home country" means in your policy.
Do you need additional travel insurance?
It is not required for the visa. It can be worthwhile if your trip is expensive or if you travel as a family. Before buying a policy, check whether your bank card or an existing policy already includes travel assistance.
- Cancellation or curtailment of the trip, for illness or a family emergency.
- Medical repatriation to your country of residence.
- Care during the journey and stopovers.
- Baggage and valuables.
- A known medical condition: ask in writing whether it is covered.
We do not recommend any insurer. Compare limits, exclusions and the area covered, and make sure Saudi Arabia is included.
Before you travel: health and documents
Insurance does not replace the health requirements. The Saudi Ministry of Health requires the meningitis vaccine for Umrah, plus others depending on your country of departure: see the required vaccines. Carry your insurance certificate, your prescriptions and your medicines in their original packaging.
What myumrahvisa does for you
When we fill in the eVisa application for you, the mandatory insurance is part of it: for individuals, its price is included in the per-passport price shown before you pay. For the conditions attached to each visa, see Umrah visa requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Is insurance mandatory for Umrah?
Yes. With the tourist eVisa, medical insurance is a step of the application on ksavisa.sa; with the Umrah visa, the official visa page also lists insurance fees. According to the press, the Saudi ministry in charge of Umrah made it mandatory for pilgrims from abroad, included in the visa fees.
How much is Saudi visa insurance?
For the eVisa, ksavisa.sa lists an insurance digital services fee of $10.5, non-refundable, plus a premium that depends on the insurer you choose from the approved companies. For the Umrah visa, the amount is shown before you pay.
What does Umrah insurance cover?
Medical emergencies and accidents in Saudi Arabia: hospital care, emergency childbirth and dental treatment, dialysis, medical evacuation and repatriation of remains to the home country, each within a limit. The official listing of a Nusuk package also includes some flight delays and cancellations from the Kingdom.
Do I need extra travel insurance for Umrah?
It is not required, but it covers what the visa insurance leaves out: cancellation before departure, baggage, non-urgent care and the journey outside Saudi Arabia. Whether it is worth it depends on your trip.
Does Umrah insurance cover a pre-existing condition?
It covers emergencies. Treatment that can wait until you return home is excluded, according to the official listing of a Nusuk package. If you are on treatment, take it with you and ask the insurer before you travel.
How long does Umrah visa insurance last?
According to the official listing of a package on umrah.nusuk.sa, 90 days from entry into the Kingdom, for care in Saudi Arabia only.
Sources
Rules change: these are the sources this guide relies on, with the date we consulted them.