Steps To Apply For Saudi Umrah Visa

Whether you’re thinking of traveling within and from Visit Saudi Arabia for business purposes, tours or Umrah, Lottrips can efficiently handle everything. We’ll assist you in visa processing, flight booking, accommodation, transportation, and private transfers. Here’s are some latest guidelines, requirements, and restrictions if you’re planning to travel within or outside the country.

Domestic Travel For Visit Saudi Arabia

Updates

Saudi Arabia resumed the flights to domestic destinations.
Traveling to Makkah is still restricted though Umrah services have resumed.
From 1 September 2022, only fully vaccinated and exempt category passengers can travel by air for Visit Saudi.
Please see Umrah guideline section for Umrah updates

Note: Please ensure to check the eligibility from the respective country government guidance and entry criteria on IATA to ensure you can travel. The information displayed on this page is from various data and government sources. While we’ve made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee or be held liable for the accuracy and currency of the information provided due to the rapidly changing requirements.

Umrah Guidelines

Umrah services are resumed, and guidelines are set out in phases by authorities.
Recently recovered from Covid-19 or Vaccinated residents of Saudi Arabia are allowed to perform Umrah only.
Approved vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.
Fully vaccinated non-Saudis will be allowed soon for Umrah.
Foreigners should produce proof of being vaccinated approved by the Kingdom.
Foreigners coming from countries on the banned list will be required to adhere to institutional quarantine.
Fully vaccinated children from inside the Kingdom aged 12 years or above are also allowed for Visit Saudi Arabia.
Entry for Umrah purposes is being regulated through Tawakkalna and Eatmarna app to implement health standards approved by competent authorities.

Please note that these rules could be subject to change depending on developing circumstances.

Entry and Basic Requirements For Foreigners

The following rules are expected to apply to foreigners who are coming for Umrah purposes.

Be at least 18 years old.
Be fully vaccinated and provide proof of receiving all required doses of an approved vaccine.
Obtain permits via the Eatmarna and the Tawakkalna app.
Show proof of a confirmed round-trip flight booking.
Have comprehensive insurance, as per earlier rules, but it is currently unclear if this is still required if the traveler is vaccinated for Visit Saudi.

Registration and Umrah Procedures

These are the procedures that had to be followed to be able to perform Umrah.

Register your vaccination/immune status on the Tawakkalna or Eatmarna app.
Obtain the Umrah permit through app and choose an available date to perform Umrah
Arrive at least 6 hours before Umrah time slot at pilgrim gathering center and adhere to preventive measures.
Show proof of approved vaccination through the Tawakkalna app and get an electronic bracelet.
Choose transportation options available for pilgrims.
Your permit will be verified by bracelet at the meeting point.
You should abide by timings for Visit Saudi.
Head to Al Haram, and once Umrah rituals are done, you should return to the gathering center.

Additional Points To Consider Visit Saudi

If you want to stay overnight at Makkah and pray at Al Haram, you should obtain permits through app.
Those residing in Makkah who want to pray at Al Haram also need to obtain a permit through App.

Note: Please ensure to check the eligibility from the respective country government guidance and entry criteria on IATA to ensure you canAl-Haram travel Visit Saudi. The information displayed on this page is from various data and government sources. While we’ve made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee or be held liable for the accuracy and currency of the information provided due to the rapidly changing requirements.

Travel Safety Guidelines

Please consider these points before and during travel.

Make a medical disclosure while booking and in the event of any symptoms of COVID-19.
Check-in and arrive at the airport 2 hours ahead for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights.
Wear a face mask all time and wear gloves during flight and disembarkation.
Adhere to social distancing rules. Avoid standing close to each other.
Sanitize your hands frequently and use electronic payments.
You can carry only one bag for Visit Saudi.
You’ll undergo thermal screening and if found Covid-19 symptoms or you won’t be allowed to fly.

Note: Please ensure to check the eligibility from the respective country government guidance and entry criteria on IATA to ensure you can travel. The information displayed on this page is from various data and government sources. While we’ve made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee or be held liable for the accuracy and currency of the information provided due to the rapidly changing requirements.

International Travel

Resumption of Travel & Allowed Categories

Travel is restricted from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, Vietnam, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, and India.
Saudi Arabia allows inbound and outbound international travel for “exceptional categories” of citizens and residents.
Any of the following visas “exit and re-entry, work permit, Iqama or visit,” are also allowed entry into the country with approved vaccines.
The Kingdom also allows citizens to travel abroad who are fully vaccinated or those who recovered from Covid-19 in the past 6 months and Children under the age of 12.
Travelers under the age of 12 must-have health insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment abroad. They must also quarantine for 7 days upon return and can end quarantine with a negative PCR test.
Children under the age of 8 are exempt from PCR tests.
Follow Covid-19 preventing measures strictly, i.e., social distancing, wearing masks, and hand sanitizing.

Please note that these rules could be subject to change depending on developing circumstances.

Furthermore for Visit Saudi,

From August 1, fully vaccinated tourists will be allowed entry without quarantine but must present a vaccination certificate and a negative PCR test result.
They must register on Tawakkalna app and apply for visas through visitsaudia.com.
All non-Saudi travelers heading to Saudi Arabia must provide a negative result of a PCR (COVID-19) test that has been conducted no more than 72 hours before departure.
Unvaccinated residents and visitors and those who haven’t been fully vaccinated are required to undergo 5 days of institutional quarantine.
PCR tests during their quarantine period will be as follows: one within 24 hours of arrival and another on day 5.

Note: “Immune” Saudi nationals and residents – defined as those who have received all required doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine and those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 6 months – are exempt from quarantine upon arrival.

The Kingdom has resumed travel to/from the UAE and some other destinations.

The Kingdom has also resumed the Umrah operations;

Umrah services are resumed, and guidelines are set out in phases by authorities.
Recently recovered from Covid-19 or Vaccinated residents of Saudi Arabia are allowed to perform Umrah only.
Approved vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.
Fully vaccinated non-Saudis will be allowed soon for Umrah.
Foreigners should produce proof of being vaccinated against any vaccine approved by the Kingdom.
Foreigners coming from countries on the banned list will be required to adhere to institutional quarantine.
Fully vaccinated children from inside the Kingdom aged 12 years or above are also allowed, but those under 12 may not be permitted.
Entry for Umrah purposes is being regulated through Tawakkalna and Eatmarna app to implement health standards approved by competent authorities.

More updates are expected to be shared by authorities in the coming days.

The following exceptional categories of citizens are allowed to travel abroad and return:

Civilian and military governmental employees, assigned to official tasks.
Personnel at Saudi diplomatic and consular missions and attachés abroad and personnel at the regional and international organizations, their families, and companions.
Those with permanent jobs at public, private, or non-profit facilities outside the Kingdom.
Businesspeople whose work requires traveling for commercial and industrial activities.
Patients whose treatment requires traveling outside the Kingdom, based on medical reports.
Students on scholarships or those studying at their own expense.
Those with exceptional humanitarian cases, such as someone who needs to travel because of the death of a husband, wife, parent, or child outside the Kingdom.
Those who have received all required doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine or recovered from Covid-19.

The following categories of foreigners are allowed to travel to and from the country:

Expatriates and their dependents outside the Kingdom who can present evidence of their legal residence outside the Kingdom.
Participants of official regional and international sporting events, including players and technical and administrative staff members.
Citizens of GCC countries and non-Saudis holding any of the following visas: exit and re-entry, work permit, Iqama (residence permit), or visit.
Fully vaccinated tourists with approved vaccines.

Important:-

Travel to and from the following types of countries is still not allowed;

Those that have suspended inbound and outbound flights due to a continuing outbreak of COVID-19.
Those that Saudi Arabia has suspended travel to for the same reason above.
Those that Saudi Arabia has suspended travel to due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19.

Note: Please ensure to check the eligibility from the respective country government guidance and entry criteria on IATA to ensure you can travel. The information displayed on this page is from various data and government sources. While we’ve made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee or be held liable for the accuracy and currency of the information provided due to the rapidly changing requirements.

Procedures To Obtain a Travel Permit

The authorities have outlined a set of procedures for traveling from Saudi Arabia. Travelers can apply for the permit via the Ministry of Interior’s ‘Absher’ e-services platform.

Category 1:

Government officials, civilians, and members of the military who are assigned for official missions abroad.

Conditions

Travelers in this category must meet the following conditions:

Provide proof that the official mission cannot be performed remotely.
Their mission should be time-sensitive in that it cannot be postponed.
Their participation has to be kept to a minimum.

Required Documents

An official letter from the entity’s senior official.
The names of those who wish to travel and their mission, its location, duration.

How To Apply

Travelers can submit their requests through the e-services platform, ‘Absher,’ under the “Individuals” section.

Category 2:

Citizens with humanitarian causes, especially the following: family reunification abroad; and death of a spouse, parent, or child abroad.

Required Documents

Proof of the relationship (spouse, parent, etc.) for the family member residing abroad.
Proof of your family member’s residency in the country you wish to travel to.
Proof that the parent/spouse/children can’t travel to Saudi Arabia.

Those who want to travel in case of death must provide the following:

A death certificate
Proof of relationship

How To Apply

Travelers can submit their requests through the e-services platform, ‘Absher’, under the “Individuals” section.

Category 3:

Citizens who are living abroad and their dependents who are residence permit holders abroad.

Required Documents

Proof of residency in the country they need to travel to.
A valid residence card (either permanent or semi-permanent).
Proof that the applicant has spent at least 6 months each year out of KSA and in the destination country during the past 3 years.

How To Apply

Travelers can submit their requests through the e-services platform, ‘Absher’, under the “Individuals” section for Visit Saudi Arabia.

Note: Please ensure to check the eligibility from the respective country government guidance and entry criteria on IATA. The information displayed on this page is from various data and government sources. While we’ve made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee or be held liable for the accuracy and currency of the information provided due to the rapidly changing requirements.