Before Your Next Umrah Trip, Check This New Visa Rule
News Desk
Riyadh:Saudi Arabia has clarified that pilgrims holding the newly introduced one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa must complete fresh requirements before every visit, despite the visa allowing multiple entries during its validity period.
Launched on July 20, 2026, the visa remains valid for 365 days and permits eligible pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia multiple times, with a maximum cumulative stay of 90 days.
Under the system, however, the visa alone is not sufficient for a new Umrah trip. For each visit, pilgrims must purchase a new service package from an approved provider through the Nusuk platform and obtain an Umrah permit through the Nusuk application before travelling.
This means a pilgrim returning for a second or third Umrah during the visa’s one-year validity must repeat the required process for each trip.
Saudi authorities have also clarified that the visa is deactivated after each departure and reactivated for the next visit once all regulatory requirements have been fulfilled. It will also not be activated for entry during the Hajj season, from the first of Dhu Al-Qi’dah through the 13th of Dhu Al-Hijjah.
The new arrangement is designed to give pilgrims greater flexibility while keeping each visit linked to approved services and digital permits through Nusuk. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says the system is intended to simplify pilgrimage arrangements and improve service efficiency.
The clarification is particularly important for pilgrims who may assume that a multiple-entry visa automatically allows unrestricted travel to Saudi Arabia throughout the year. In practice, the visa provides the opportunity for multiple visits, but each visit remains subject to separate service and permit requirements.
