Saudi Visa Options for Umrah: Tourist eVisa, Umrah Visa and More

There are five main ways to get a Saudi visa that allows Umrah: the tourist eVisa for eligible nationalities (including U.S. citizens), an Umrah visa issued with a package from an approved provider on Nusuk, eVisa eligibility through a used U.S., UK or Schengen visa or certain residencies, a visa on arrival, and a short transit visa for some stopover passengers. Which one fits depends on your passport, your dates and how you want to book. None of them covers Hajj, and all of them still require an Umrah permit in Nusuk.

Requirements vary by nationality, visa type and the rules in force when you apply, and they change often. This guide is general information checked against official sources on October 21, 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Visa decisions are made solely by the Saudi authorities, and no agency, including ours, can guarantee approval.

This guide is part of our Umrah visa and travel documents guide.

The options compared

Tourist eVisa

The Saudi eVisa portal lists 68 eligible countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and most of Europe, as well as several countries in Asia and elsewhere. It describes the eVisa as a one-year, multiple-entry visa allowing up to 90 days in the country, for tourism-related activities including “Umrah (excluding Hajj).” The State Department also notes a limit of 180 days in any 12-month period. Applications are online; the portal shows the fee and any insurance requirement when you apply.

For a U.S. family traveling outside the Hajj period, this is usually the simplest route, and it lets you book flights and hotels independently or through an agency.

Umrah visa through Nusuk

An Umrah visa is issued alongside a service package (accommodation, transport and services in Saudi Arabia) bought from an approved provider on the Nusuk Umrah platform, or arranged through authorized external agents. It is open to nationalities that are not eligible for the tourist eVisa, which makes it important for many U.S. residents who hold other passports.

In July 2026 Saudi Arabia announced a multiple-entry Umrah visa. According to the Saudi Press Agency, it is valid for 365 days from issue with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days; each visit requires buying a package on Nusuk; entry depends on issuing an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app before arrival; and the visa is not activated from 1 Dhu al-Qi’dah to 13 Dhu al-Hijjah. Umrah visas also follow the season calendar: for 1448 AH, the last date to issue them is March 9, 2027, the last date of entry March 23, 2027, and the last date of departure April 7, 2027.

eVisa through a U.S., UK or Schengen visa or residency

In June 2023 Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism announced that holders of a valid tourism or business visa from the U.S., the UK or a Schengen state could apply for an eVisa, provided the visa had been used at least once to enter the issuing country, and extended entry rights to first-degree relatives of permanent residents of the U.S., EU or UK. Eligibility details for permanent residents are set on the official portals and can change, so confirm your case on the eVisa portal or the KSA Visa platform before you book.

Visa on arrival

The State Department notes that U.S. citizens can apply for an e-visa before travel or obtain a visa on arrival for a fee. Applying ahead gives you certainty before you fly and avoids a queue after a long flight, so most pilgrims do that. Airlines may also check that you have a valid visa or eligibility before boarding.

Transit visa

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s guide describes a transit visa allowing a stay of up to 96 hours for some Saudi Arabian Airlines passengers stopping over in Jeddah or Madinah with a confirmed onward booking. It is a genuine option for a short Umrah on the way somewhere else, but four days leaves little margin for rest, permits and travel between cities.

How to choose

1. Check your passport’s nationality against the eVisa list. If it is listed, the tourist eVisa is usually simplest.
2. If it is not listed, check whether a used U.S., UK or Schengen visa or your residency makes you eligible.
3. If neither applies, an Umrah visa through an approved Nusuk provider is the usual route.
4. Check the dates against the Umrah season calendar and the Hajj-season restrictions.
5. Plan the Umrah permit in Nusuk whichever visa you use.

Hypothetical examples

A family from Paterson, New Jersey are all U.S. citizens and travel in November: tourist eVisas. A couple from Dearborn, Michigan hold Lebanese passports and green cards: they check eligibility through their residency, and if it does not apply, use an Umrah visa with a package. A student from Austin on a U.S. F-1 visa, who holds a nationality not on the eVisa list, checks whether their used U.S. visa qualifies, and keeps in mind that returning to the U.S. requires valid U.S. documents.

Check the travel advisory too: when we checked on October 21, 2026, the U.S. State Department’s advisory for Saudi Arabia was Level 3, “Reconsider travel” (issued October 12, 2026), citing risks that include regional armed conflict, missile and drone attacks, terrorism and exit bans. Read the current advisory before you book and before you fly, enroll in STEP and choose travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and trip disruption.

Let us check your route

Tell us which passports and U.S. documents each traveler holds when you request a quote. Where visa support is part of your trip, our advisors can help you prepare the application. Travelers using their own flights can browse land-only Umrah packages. For the permit side, read Nusuk explained.