Preparing your Umrah
Can I do Umrah on a tourist visa? Umrah on the tourist eVisa explained
In short
Yes, you can perform Umrah on the Saudi tourist eVisa: the Saudi ministry in charge of Umrah confirmed it in October 2025. Three conditions matter: travel outside the seasonal closure period, book an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app, and be vaccinated against meningitis at least 10 days before arrival. Hotels and transport are yours to arrange.
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Yes, the tourist eVisa allows Umrah
Many travellers still assume a dedicated Umrah visa is required. It is not. In October 2025 the Saudi ministry in charge of Umrah stated that every visa type opens the way to Umrah, and it named the tourist eVisa explicitly.
In practice, a traveller whose nationality is on the eVisa list, or who qualifies through residence, can perform Umrah on the tourist eVisa without going through the Umrah visa via Nusuk. Our eligibility checker shows which route is open for each passport.
What the tourist eVisa gives you
The tourist eVisa is applied for online on the official portal and arrives by email once approved. According to the trade press, it is valid for one year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days. One immigration firm describes the limit as 90 days in total over the year instead, so the wording printed on your visa is what counts.
The same visa covers tourism, family visits and Umrah. You can combine a stay in Madinah, a trip to another region and your Umrah, or come back several times while the visa is valid.
| Situation | With the tourist eVisa |
|---|---|
| Perform Umrah outside the seasonal closure period | Yes, with a permit booked in Nusuk |
| Enter or stay in Makkah during the seasonal closure period | No: in 2026 only the visa specific to that period allowed it |
| Go to the Haram for Umrah without a permit | No: the Nusuk permit is mandatory |
| Enter several times within a year | Yes, it is a multiple-entry visa |
| Stay more than 90 days in a row | No: check the exact wording on your visa |
| Travel as a tourist and visit family | Yes, on the same trip or another one |
| Choose your own hotel and transport | Yes, no package is required |
The seasonal closure: the real limit
Every year Makkah closes to most visitors for a few weeks during the seasonal closure period. Your tourist eVisa remains valid, but it no longer lets you go to Makkah, and Umrah permits stop being issued.
The next season reopened straight away: the official 1448 calendar opened entry to Makkah and Nusuk permits on 1 June 2026. Our Umrah season 1448 calendar lists every date.
The Nusuk permit, mandatory whatever your visa
Your visa gets you into the Kingdom; it is not enough to perform Umrah. Before going to the Haram, every traveller books an Umrah permit in the Nusuk or Tawakkalna app, for a set date and time slot.
According to the official FAQ, only one permit can be active at a time. To change your time, you cancel before the booked slot and book a new one. Our guide on booking your Nusuk Umrah permit walks through each screen.
Required vaccines
This health requirement does not appear in the visa application. It applies all the same to everyone coming for Umrah, whatever their visa.
If the vaccine type is not written on the certificate, the ministry treats it as valid for three years only, as the UK travel health service also points out. The requirements are published for each season, so ask your doctor or a travel vaccination centre for the current version.
Other vaccines depending on where you travel from
- Polio: at least one vaccine dose, whatever the age, for anyone arriving from certain countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, Palestine, Yemen and some twenty other African countries; the ministry recommends receiving it at least 4 weeks before arrival.
- Yellow fever: for travellers over 9 months old arriving from 41 countries and territories in Africa and South America, including French Guiana; the certificate is valid for life, from 10 days after vaccination.
- Covid: proof of vaccination or immunity for people over 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions (heart, lungs, kidneys, inherited blood disorders, immune deficiency, cancer, neurological diseases).
These lists come from the Saudi Ministry of Health's document for 1447 (2026) and change from one season to the next: check the current version before you travel.
Before you leave: a checklist
Check you qualify for the eVisa
Through your nationality or your residence (Gulf residence, permanent residence, or a US, UK or Schengen visa already used). Passport valid for at least 6 months.
Keep your dates outside the seasonal closure
Compare your trip with the official dates. If they are not published yet, leave a margin.
Apply for the eVisa
On the official portal, or through a service like ours that files the application for you. Read the duration wording on the visa you receive.
Get vaccinated
At least 10 days before arrival for meningitis, with a certificate showing the vaccine's name and date. Also check polio, yellow fever or Covid depending on your country and situation.
Book hotels and transport
As you wish, in Makkah and in Madinah. Nothing is imposed with the eVisa.
Book your permit in Nusuk
Once you have the visa, create your account in the app with your visa number and choose your time slot.
What myumrahvisa does for you
We apply for the tourist eVisa on behalf of individual travellers and travel agencies: you send the passports, we review every file by hand, enter the application on the official portal and hand you the visas. Travellers who qualify through residence are accepted when they provide the document that proves it.
If a traveller fits none of the open routes, we say so clearly and nothing is charged. The Umrah permit is then booked in Nusuk with the visa number we give you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do Umrah on a tourist visa?
Yes. In October 2025 the Saudi ministry in charge of Umrah confirmed that all visa types allow Umrah, the tourist eVisa included. You must travel outside the seasonal closure period and book a permit in the Nusuk app.
Can I organise Umrah myself, without a travel agent?
Yes. With the eVisa you can book your own flights, hotels and transport, then reserve the permit in Nusuk. An agency remains a good option if you prefer a guided trip or are travelling as a group.
Is the tourist eVisa valid during the seasonal closure?
It stays valid, but it does not let you enter or stay in Makkah during that period. In 2026 the restriction began on 18 April and Umrah permits were suspended until 31 May.
How long can I stay on the tourist eVisa?
The visa is valid for one year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days. Sources differ on whether that limit applies per stay or in total over the year, so go by the wording printed on your visa.
Do I need the meningitis vaccine with a tourist eVisa?
For Umrah, yes. The Saudi Ministry of Health requires it of everyone coming for Umrah, whatever the visa, with the vaccine received at least 10 days before arrival. Other vaccines apply depending on the country of departure (polio, yellow fever) or your situation (Covid over 65, during pregnancy or with certain chronic conditions).
Sources
Rules change: these are the sources this guide relies on, with the date we consulted them.
- All visa types can be used for Umrah
- Guide to Saudi visit visas: eVisa, visa on arrival and transit
- Tourist eVisa extended to certain residents and visa holders
- Tourist eVisa application
- Access to Makkah and suspension of Umrah permits during the 2026 seasonal closure
- Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH
- Umrah permits: booking, cancelling and practical rules
- Health requirements for Umrah
- Meningococcal disease in Umrah pilgrims in 2025 and the required vaccine