.svg)
Saudi Arabia has confirmed that foreign nationals seeking to perform Umrah must complete a mandatory 14-step digital visa procedure through the official KSA Visa Platform, followed by a separate Umrah permit obtained via the Nusuk application, with both documents printed before travel. The requirement applies without exception to pilgrims travelling during Ramadan, the busiest Umrah season of the year, and was set out as the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition convened at Jeddah Superdome from 8 to 11 November 2026, drawing more than 520 organisations from 150 countries across an exhibition area exceeding 67,000 square metres.
Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the application opens when a traveller accesses the KSA Visa Platform and selects the Umrah Visa service. New users must create an account, while returning users log in directly. Applicants then enter personal and passport details, provide travel and accommodation information, attach the required documents, and either issue medical insurance through the platform or add cover already held. The full request must be reviewed and every data field verified before fees are paid electronically. After electronic submission, applicants monitor the request status through the platform. Once approved, the visa is issued electronically, but the pilgrim must then obtain an Umrah permit separately through Nusuk, the official portal for managing pilgrim services, and print both the visa and the permit before departure. Saudi authorities have cautioned that inaccuracies in personal or travel information could affect the outcome of an application.
Ramadan remains the heaviest period of demand in the Umrah calendar. Saudi authorities recorded more than 16.5 million Umrah performers during Ramadan 2025 and more than 904,000 pilgrims on a single day in February 2026. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February and conclude with Eid al-Fitr around 9 March, subject to the sighting of the new moon. Muslims believe Umrah performed during Ramadan carries a reward equal to Hajj, which concentrates demand into the final ten nights in particular. Because the digital steps, insurance verification and permit allocation all depend on prior approval, pilgrims are advised to begin applications well ahead of their intended travel dates rather than relying on last-minute processing.
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah used the Jeddah gathering to outline seven transformations across the Hajj and Umrah system: opening competition and developing the services market, expanding opportunities to perform Hajj, early preparation for the season, developing the holy sites and transportation, digital transformation, facilitating travel and support services, and enriching the spiritual and cultural journey while developing services at the Two Holy Mosques. Daily Dazzling Dawn learned that competition reforms now allow each Hajj mission to select from among 34 companies providing services to pilgrims from abroad. The Direct Hajj programme has extended eligibility to travellers from 75 additional countries that previously sent no pilgrims, bringing total participation to 133 countries. Preparation for the season now begins on the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, with preliminary arrangement documents delivered to pilgrim affairs offices in 78 countries, training and awareness programmes delivered in pilgrims' languages, and contracts finalised four months before the season.
The Nusuk platform and application have surpassed 70 million Muslim users worldwide and process more than 4.4 billion transactions annually. Its Digital Mutawwif service helps pilgrims track circuits of Tawaf and Sa'i and supplies supplications and remembrances. The Traveller Without Luggage initiative handled about 2.9 million bags during the 1447 AH Hajj season and reduced airport procedure times from two hours to 15 minutes. Qualified historical sites and enrichment destinations in Makkah and Madinah have risen from 15 in 2022 to 102 in 2026, while visitor numbers at the Rawdah Sharifah climbed from nearly 6 million in 2022 to approximately 16 million in 2025.
British and American citizens can apply for Saudi visas online and must obtain Umrah permits through Nusuk. Many pilgrims book packages incorporating flights, hotels near the Grand Mosque, visa support and transfers. In the United Kingdom, agents serve departures from London, Manchester and Birmingham, while pilgrims in the United States typically fly from New York, Washington or Chicago, often via the Middle East or Europe. Ramadan is the most expensive period for Umrah because hotel capacity near the Grand Mosque is limited; travelling in the first part of the month, booking early and choosing accommodation slightly further from the mosque can reduce costs. Travellers should check official government advice before booking.
Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's assistant undersecretary for international relations and official spokesperson, said the five previous editions of the conference witnessed more than 1,850 agreements for providing services to pilgrims, over 310 sessions and 250 workshops, and attracted more than 570,000 visitors. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that Minister Al-Rabiah told journalists the results rest on the security and stability enjoyed under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, adding: "The guests of God are in safe hands, in a secure country, God willing." Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has extended tourist visa eligibility to citizens of Mexico, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, widening lawful entry routes to the Kingdom beyond pilgrimage-specific channels.
