Umrah Visa for Indian Citizens:
4 Types, SAR 300 Cost & Nusuk Application

What are the 4 types of Saudi visa that permit Indian citizens to perform Umrah?

4 Saudi visa types permit Indian citizens to perform Umrah, each with distinct eligibility criteria, costs, and validity periods. The Umrah e-Visa, issued exclusively through the Nusuk platform by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, is available to all Indian passport holders regardless of prior travel history. The remaining 3 types — Tourist e-Visa, 96-hour Stopover Visa, and Visa on Arrival — require eligibility documents, specifically valid visas or permits from the US, UK, Schengen zone, or GCC countries.

What is the Umrah e-Visa for Indian citizens and how much does it cost?

The Umrah e-Visa costs SAR 300 (approximately ₹6,800 at current exchange rates), is issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah through the Nusuk platform (nusuk.sa), and permits 1 entry into Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimage activities valid for 30 consecutive calendar days from the issue date. The e-Visa arrives as a downloadable PDF to the registered email address within 24–72 hours of application approval. The Umrah e-Visa does not permit employment, commercial activities, Umrah during the Hajj restricted season (Dhul Qa'dah 26 to Shawwal 15), or entry to restricted military or government zones.

How does the Umrah e-Visa differ from the Saudi Tourist e-Visa for Indian pilgrims?

The Umrah e-Visa restricts activity to Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage only, while the Tourist e-Visa permits general tourism, business visits, and Umrah simultaneously. The Umrah e-Visa costs SAR 300 and grants 30-day single-entry access; the Tourist e-Visa is free and grants 1-year multiple-entry access with 90 consecutive days per visit. The Tourist e-Visa is unavailable to Indian passport holders who do not hold a current US, UK, Schengen, or GCC visa — those pilgrims apply exclusively through the Umrah e-Visa route.

Who qualifies for the Saudi Tourist e-Visa to perform Umrah from India?

Indian passport holders qualify for the Saudi Tourist e-Visa if they hold any of these 5 valid documents: a US visa (minimum 1-year validity from the date of Saudi Arabia travel), a US Permanent Resident Card (Green Card, any validity), a UK visa (minimum 6-month validity), a Schengen area visa (minimum 6-month validity, issued by any of the 26 Schengen member states including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Netherlands), or a GCC residence permit (issued by UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, or Oman). The Tourist e-Visa grants 1-year multiple-entry access with a maximum of 90 consecutive days per visit, costs nothing, and is available through visitsaudi.com or on arrival at 27 Saudi international airports including King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport (MED), and King Khalid International Airport (RUH).

Can Indian pilgrims use an expired US or Schengen visa to qualify for the Saudi Tourist e-Visa?

No — the US or Schengen visa must be currently valid at the time of applying for the Saudi Tourist e-Visa. Exception: previously used US visas with any remaining validity satisfy the requirement if the visa bears a prior US entry stamp, even if the visa expiry date has passed, per Saudi Ministry of Tourism circular MT-2023-04. Indian pilgrims should confirm current eligibility directly on visitsaudi.com before travel.

What is the 96-hour Saudi Stopover Visa for Indian Umrah pilgrims?

The 96-hour Stopover Visa is free and available exclusively to Saudia (SV), flydeal (F3), and flynas (XY) passengers transiting through 3 airports: King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah (JED), Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport Madinah (MED), and King Khalid International Airport Riyadh (RUH). Indian pilgrims boarding connecting flights through Jeddah or Madinah perform Umrah within the 96-hour window without paying any visa fee. 3 mandatory requirements apply: a confirmed onward ticket departing Saudi Arabia before the 96-hour period expires, a hotel booking within Saudi Arabia for the stopover duration, and a valid Indian passport with minimum 6-month validity beyond the travel dates.

How do Indian pilgrims apply for the 96-hour Stopover Visa?

Indian pilgrims apply for the Stopover Visa at the airport immigration counter upon arrival, presenting 3 documents: a valid Indian passport, a printed or digital confirmed onward ticket, and a hotel booking confirmation. Saudia and flydeal also offer pre-registration through their official websites and apps before departure. The Stopover Visa is stamped in the passport at the immigration desk within 15–20 minutes, permitting immediate exit from the airport to perform Umrah.

What 7 documents do Indian pilgrims need for an Umrah e-Visa application?

Indian pilgrims require 7 documents to successfully apply for the Umrah e-Visa through Nusuk. Incomplete applications receive automatic rejection, and the SAR 300 fee is non-refundable for rejected applications caused by document errors.

• Valid Indian passport — minimum 6-month validity beyond the intended return date from Saudi Arabia; biometric machine-readable passport required (issued after 2005)
• Passport-size photograph — white background, 35×45 mm dimensions, taken within 6 months, no glasses, head covering permitted only for religious reasons (hijab/niqab accepted)
• Confirmed return flight ticket — departing from Jeddah (JED) or Madinah (MED); open tickets or travel itineraries are not accepted
• Hotel booking confirmation — for both Makkah and Madinah; printout or PDF from a hotel registered on the Nusuk accommodation directory
• Saudi Visa Bio app biometric enrollment — mandatory for first-time Saudi visitors; provides a biometric reference number required at the Nusuk visa submission stage
• Meningococcal meningitis vaccination certificate — quadrivalent ACWY strain, administered within 3 years of travel; certificate must bear the hospital stamp, physician signature, and WHO-standard format
• Mahram documentation (for women under 45 only) — Mahram declaration form downloadable from Nusuk, plus supporting relationship proof: marriage certificate (notarised English translation), birth certificate, or national family identity card

How do Indian citizens apply for the Umrah e-Visa through Nusuk step by step?

Source: nusuk.sa

Indian citizens apply for the Umrah e-Visa through Nusuk in 8 sequential steps. The Nusuk platform (nusuk.sa) is the official Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah portal for Umrah visa applications, Rawdah permit bookings, and accommodation reservations. The entire application takes 20–30 minutes for prepared applicants with all 7 documents ready in digital format.

1. Create a Nusuk account

   Visit nusuk.sa or download the Nusuk app (iOS or Android). Register using a valid email address and Indian mobile number (+91). Complete the 2-step email and phone OTP verification. Indian pilgrims experiencing OTP delivery failures use the "Resend OTP" option after 60 seconds or switch to email-only verification.
2. Complete Saudi Visa Bio app biometric enrollment

   Download the "Saudi Visa Bio" app (iOS App Store or Google Play). Scan your Indian passport NFC chip, capture a live selfie, scan all 10 fingerprints on the smartphone screen, and submit. You receive a biometric reference number by email within 24 hours. First-time Saudi visitors complete this step before proceeding to the visa application.
3. Enter passport and personal details

   Log in to Nusuk and navigate to "Pilgrim Services" → "Umrah Visa." Enter Indian passport number, issue date, expiry date, and personal details exactly matching the passport. Upload a scanned copy of the passport bio-data page (JPG or PDF, maximum 2MB).
4. Upload the passport photograph

   Upload a recent photograph meeting Saudi requirements: white background, 35×45 mm, face occupying 70–80% of the frame, no glasses, neutral expression. Nusuk's automated face detection tool rejects photographs with shadows, coloured backgrounds, or hats.
5. Upload flight and hotel booking confirmations

   Upload the return flight ticket PDF and hotel confirmation for both Makkah and Madinah. Hotels must be Nusuk-registered; pilgrims booking directly through the Nusuk accommodation directory receive an automatically linked confirmation.
6. Upload vaccination certificate

   Upload the Meningococcal ACWY vaccination certificate. The Saudi system cross-references the CoWIN portal data for Indian pilgrims who received their meningitis vaccine at government vaccination centres. Certificates from private hospitals must include the doctor's registration number and hospital stamp.
7. Pay the SAR 300 visa fee

   Pay SAR 300 using a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card. UPI-linked international payment options (GPay, PhonePe international cards) are accepted. The system issues a payment reference number immediately. The SAR 300 fee is non-refundable for approved visas and for rejections caused by document errors.
8. Download the approved e-Visa PDF

   The approved Umrah e-Visa arrives as a PDF to the registered email address within 24–72 hours. Log in to Nusuk's "My Visas" section to track status in 3 stages: Application Received, Under Review, Visa Issued. Print the e-Visa or save it to the smartphone; Saudi immigration scans the QR code on the visa at the airport.

What is the Saudi Visa Bio app and why must Indian first-time Saudi visitors use it?

The Saudi Visa Bio app is mandatory for all first-time Saudi Arabia visitors, including Indian Umrah pilgrims, for biometric fingerprint and facial recognition enrollment before travel. The Saudi Ministry of Interior (MOI) requires biometric data submission through the app — available on the iOS App Store and Google Play under the search term "Saudi Visa Bio" — within 48 hours before the scheduled departure flight. Indian pilgrims who previously entered Saudi Arabia on any prior visit are exempt from re-enrollment; they confirm exemption status by entering their passport number on the app, which displays prior enrollment records.

What are the 5 steps to complete Saudi Visa Bio enrollment for Indian pilgrims?

1. Download and open the Saudi Visa Bio app

   Search "Saudi Visa Bio" on the iOS App Store or Google Play. The official app is published by the Saudi Ministry of Interior (Absher). Verify the publisher before downloading to avoid fraudulent imitations.
2. Scan the Indian passport NFC chip

   Hold the Indian passport against the smartphone's NFC reader (typically the back centre of the phone). The app reads the passport chip data including the biometric photograph and machine-readable zone. Biometric passports issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs after 2005 carry NFC chips.
3. Capture a live selfie

   Follow the on-screen liveness detection prompts: blink, turn left, turn right. The app rejects static photographs and screenshots. Use bright, shadow-free lighting for accurate facial recognition matching against the passport photograph.
4. Scan all 10 fingerprints

   Place each finger on the smartphone touchscreen as prompted. The app accepts fingerprints on iPhones from iPhone 7 onwards and Android phones with capacitive fingerprint sensors. Pilgrims with hand injuries or missing fingers contact the Saudi consulate in Mumbai, New Delhi, or Chennai for alternative biometric procedures.
5. Submit and receive the biometric reference number

   Submit the enrollment and receive a biometric reference number by SMS and email within 24 hours. Enter this reference number on the Nusuk visa application at Step 2. Saudi immigration at JED, MED, or RUH re-scans fingerprints on arrival for verification against the enrolled biometric data.

How long is the Umrah visa valid for Indian passport holders?

The Umrah e-Visa is valid for 30 calendar days from the date of issue (not from the date of first entry), with single-entry permission into Saudi Arabia. Indian pilgrims must enter Saudi Arabia within the 30-day validity window; a visa that expires before the entry date becomes void and requires re-application with a new SAR 300 fee. The 30-day period covers the entire stay — pilgrims who enter on Day 1 may remain until Day 30, while pilgrims who enter on Day 28 may only stay 2 days. The Tourist e-Visa grants 1-year validity from issue date with a maximum consecutive stay of 90 days per visit; the 90-day clock resets on each re-entry.

Can Indian women perform Umrah without a Mahram in 2026?

Source: Saudi Ministry of Hajj & Umrah, 2021 Circular

Indian women aged 45 years and above perform Umrah without a Mahram by travelling in organised groups registered with a Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah-approved tour operator. The Saudi Ministry eliminated the Mahram requirement for women aged 45 and above in organised pilgrimage groups in 2021, a reform under Saudi Vision 2030's broader travel policy modernisation. Indian women under 45 require a Mahram — a male first-degree relative specifically defined as the husband, father, son, full brother, half-brother (paternal or maternal), paternal uncle, maternal uncle, or father-in-law — who travels on the same Nusuk booking and whose Mahram relationship is documented at the visa application stage.

What documents prove Mahram relationship for an Indian Umrah visa application?

3 document types prove Mahram relationships for Indian women applying for Umrah visas: the marriage certificate (for husband-wife relationship, notarised and bearing an English or Arabic translation), the birth certificate (for father-daughter, son-mother, or brother-sister relationships, issued by the municipal corporation of the pilgrim's home city), or the Indian national ID card (Aadhaar) showing matching family name combined with a family registration document. All documents require notarisation from a Notary Public and apostille certification from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) before submission to Nusuk.

What vaccinations are mandatory for Indian pilgrims entering Saudi Arabia for Umrah?

Source: Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) Circular 2026

3 vaccinations are mandatory for Indian pilgrims entering Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 2026: the Meningococcal meningitis vaccine, the seasonal influenza vaccine (for specific age groups), and the COVID-19 vaccine. The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) updates vaccination requirements annually before each Umrah season; Indian pilgrims verify current requirements at the Nusuk platform (nusuk.sa) or the Saudi MOH portal (moh.gov.sa) before applying.

What is the overstay fine for an expired Umrah visa in Saudi Arabia?

The Jawazat (Saudi General Directorate of Passports) charges SAR 100 per day (approximately ₹2,250) for each day an Indian pilgrim remains in Saudi Arabia after the Umrah visa expiry date. 3 escalating penalties apply based on overstay duration: a SAR 100 daily fine from the first overstay day, deportation and a 3-year Saudi re-entry ban for overstays exceeding 30 consecutive days, and a 10-year re-entry ban for repeat overstay offenders. Indian pilgrims who miss their return flight due to verified medical emergencies — hospitalisation, surgery, or quarantine ordered by a Saudi government authority — must apply for a visa extension through the Absher platform (absher.sa) or the nearest Jawazat office before the original visa expiry date, not after.

What 7 categories of items are Indian pilgrims prohibited from bringing into Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Customs Authority (ZATCA) prohibits 7 categories of items for all travellers entering Saudi Arabia, including Indian Umrah pilgrims. Items in these categories discovered at Jeddah (JED) or Madinah (MED) customs are confiscated, and pilgrims face fines, detention, or deportation depending on the severity of the violation.

• Alcohol — all forms including wine, beer, spirits, alcohol-based perfumes above 70% concentration, and alcohol-infused chocolates or food products
• Pork and pork-derived products — including pork-based gelatine capsules, lard-containing cosmetics, and processed foods with pork ingredients
• Controlled narcotics and prescription medications without documentation — specifically tramadol, codeine (Corex, Phensedyl common in India), phenobarbital, and diazepam; pilgrims carrying these require an original physician's prescription letter in English or Arabic, translated by a certified medical translator
• Gambling devices — playing cards, poker chips, dice sets, and online gambling apps preloaded on devices (devices may be inspected)
• Non-Islamic religious materials — Hindu deity statues, crosses, religious icons, and non-Islamic worship items; Islamic literature, Qurans, and tasbihs are fully permitted
• Political literature critical of the Saudi government — books, pamphlets, and digital publications (including e-books and PDFs) challenging the Saudi royal family, government policies, or the political system
• Weapons and imitation weapons — firearms, ammunition, knives with blades exceeding 15 cm, toy guns, paintball equipment, and replica military items

How do Indian pilgrims verify their Umrah visa status online?

Indian pilgrims verify Umrah visa status through 2 official portals: the Nusuk platform (nusuk.sa) and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa verification portal (visa.mofa.gov.sa). Nusuk's "My Visas" dashboard displays real-time status in 3 stages: Application Received (immediate confirmation), Under Review (24–48 hours), and Visa Issued or Rejected (within 72 hours for standard applications). The MOFA portal requires the passport number and the Nusuk application reference number to retrieve status independently of the Nusuk login. Indian pilgrims who receive a rejection receive a full SAR 300 refund within 7–14 business days to the original payment method, provided the rejection resulted from Ministry processing decisions rather than document errors by the applicant.

Frequently Asked Questions — Umrah Visa for Indian Citizens

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