Can I Perform Umrah on Visit Visa
Umrah's performance is undertaken by hundreds of thousands of Muslims every year. Traveling from across the globe through Umrah Packages 2022 London, pilgrims keep on arriving in the kingdom for the holy rituals of minor pilgrimage because the umrah season lasts all around the year. However, the days of hajj are excluded in this regard.
Requirements for obtaining a Tourist/Visit Visa.
Traveling for umrah is just like any other international travel trip as the person has to travel to Makkah, Saudia Arabia for holy rituals. Thus, traveling for umrah also requires all of the requisites of international travel to be fulfilled.
In order to obtain a tourist visa to the kingdom, the following documents are required from the applicant;
1. Applicants of tourist visas must be 18 years old or above; unless accompanied by a legal guardian.
2. A Duly filled visa application form attached with all of the relevant documents required.
3. Proof of employment, as well as a bank statement, needs to be submitted.
4. Passport with a validity for at least six months (at the time of application submission).
5. The Tourist Visa fee is 300 SAR while the insurance costs 140 SAR.
6. Health insurance must be purchased from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the applicant.
7. Roundtrip ticket and travel itinerary information are necessary to be submitted.
8. Proof of accommodation is necessary i.e., hotel, residence, etc. for the applicant’s entire stay duration in the country.
9. The visa issued remains valid for 365 days (one year only) with a maximum 90-day duration of stay per visit.
Is it permissible to perform umrah on a tourist visa?
In the past, pilgrims wishing to perform umrah or hajj were required to obtain specific Umrah/Hajj visas for their travel to the kingdom. However, the policies were revised under the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ plan recently. As per the new rules and regulations, Muslims can offer umrah rituals on their visit visa to the kingdom i.e., there’s no need to obtain a specific umrah visa.
The visit visa to the kingdom is available on-arrival to the kingdom as well as offered through e-services.
However, non-Muslims aren’t allowed to enter the cities of Makkah and Madinah. Their tourist visa is merely for the purposes of tourism.
Hence, now Muslims from across the globe can not only travel to the kingdom on a visit visa but are also permitted to observe the holy rituals of umrah on it.
