Umrah 2026 Latest News & Updates
Last updated: 29 August 2026
Bookmark this page: rules, fees and blackout dates are revised periodically. We update this guide whenever something material changes — always confirm exact details on the Nusuk platform or with your approved provider before booking.
How the New One-Year Multiple-Entry Umrah Visa Works
Instead of applying for a fresh Umrah visa before every trip, eligible pilgrims can now travel to Saudi Arabia several times across a 365-day window on a single visa. The rules are straightforward on paper but easy to get wrong in practice, so here's exactly how each part works.
The 90 days are shared, not reset per trip. Every day you spend in Saudi Arabia on this visa counts against the same pooled total. If you stay 30 days on one visit, you have 60 days left for the rest of the year — not a fresh 90-day allowance next time you travel. A new service package also can't run longer than the validity days still remaining on your visa, and whichever limit runs out first — the 365-day validity or the 90-day balance — ends your ability to use the visa.
Every visit still needs its own Umrah permit, issued through the Nusuk app before you travel — you cannot get one on arrival. Permit dates must match your approved service package dates exactly. The visa cannot be used to enter Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season — see the blackout dates section below for the expected 2027 window.
Not for standalone visa applications: since 2026, Umrah visa applications of any type must be tied to a confirmed Nusuk-verified hotel and transport booking before the visa is issued — bookings made independently through general travel sites that aren't Nusuk-registered aren't accepted for this purpose. Booking through a licensed, ATOL-protected agent who understands the Nusuk process can save real time here.
🧮 Free Tool: Umrah Visa 90-Day Balance Calculator
The hardest part of the new visa isn't the headline numbers — it's tracking them. Enter your visa issue date and each trip you're planning (or have already taken), and this calculator works out your running 90-day balance, your visa's expiry date, and flags if a trip falls inside the expected Hajj 2027 blackout window or after your visa expires.
Umrah Multiple-Entry Visa — 90-Day Balance Calculator
Free to use. Nothing you enter here is saved or sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
This tool is a planning aid based on the rules announced by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in July 2026. It isn't official advice — always confirm your exact balance, permit status and the current Hajj blackout dates on Nusuk or with your approved provider before booking.
Umrah Visa Types Compared
There's no single "Umrah visa" — several visa routes let eligible pilgrims perform Umrah, and which one applies to you depends mainly on your nationality and how often you plan to travel.
Multiple-Entry Umrah Visa NEW
365-day validity, multiple entries, 90-day cumulative stay. Best for pilgrims planning more than one Umrah trip within the year, or wanting flexibility around price and crowd levels.
Dedicated (Single) Umrah Visa
Saudi Arabia's traditional Umrah visa, for pilgrims who only need one trip. Simpler if you're not planning repeat visits within the year.
Saudi Tourist eVisa
Also usable for Umrah outside the Hajj season for eligible nationalities, alongside sightseeing elsewhere in the Kingdom.
UK Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW)
An option for eligible UK travellers, generally arranged online — many UK-based agents also handle the application as part of a package.
If your passport isn't eVisa-eligible — which applies to many pilgrims travelling from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and a number of other countries, who must apply through the Nusuk-linked process via a licensed agency — the dedicated Umrah visa or the new multiple-entry visa are generally the practical options, rather than the tourist eVisa route.
Umrah Visa & Trip Costs 2026
Figures below are indicative and reported from recent coverage — fees are revised periodically and vary by provider, so always confirm the current cost with your agent or on Nusuk before paying. For a full cost breakdown of an entire Umrah trip, see our dedicated guide: How Much Does Umrah Cost?
| Visa / Cost Item | Reported Amount |
|---|---|
| Dedicated Umrah visa (govt. fee) | ~SAR 300 |
| Mandatory medical insurance | ~SAR 100–180 |
| Total government-side cost (visa + insurance) | ~SAR 400–480 |
| Saudi tourist eVisa (insurance included) | ~SAR 535 |
| UK EVW — typical agent service fee on top | ~£45–£65 |
| New mandatory meal voucher (PAK/IND/BGD/EGY pilgrims) | SAR 20 per pilgrim, per day |
| Total Umrah visa process from Pakistan (incl. transport & agent fees) | ~PKR 45,000–80,000 |
The visa fee is rarely the full cost: since every Umrah visa must now be tied to a confirmed Nusuk hotel and transport package, the real out-of-pocket cost is the visa fee plus that mandatory package — not the visa fee alone. A "visa only" quote from an agent no longer reflects the true cost of travelling.
Hajj 2027 Blackout Dates for the Multiple-Entry Umrah Visa
The multiple-entry Umrah visa cannot be used to enter Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season. Hajj 2027 rituals are expected to fall around 14-16 May 2027 (8th-10th Dhul Hijjah 1448 AH), with Eid al-Adha expected on 16 May 2027 — meaning the blackout window is likely to begin several weeks earlier, in April 2027.
Plan around it: if you hold the multiple-entry visa, avoid planning an arrival in the weeks immediately before the expected Hajj window. Exact blackout dates are confirmed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah closer to the time and can shift by a day or two depending on moon sighting — always check Nusuk before booking a trip in this period. For full Hajj 2027 planning, see our Hajj 2027 guide and tips, Hajj 2027 registration and Hajj 2027 payment schedule guides.
Ramadan Umrah 2027
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027 and run to approximately 9 March 2027, subject to moon sighting. Umrah performed during Ramadan holds special significance for many pilgrims, and demand for flights, hotels and packages rises sharply as the month approaches — often booked out months in advance, especially for the last ten nights.
If you're planning to use your multiple-entry visa balance for a Ramadan trip, factor it into your 90-day calculation early using the calculator above, since Ramadan hotel rates and flight demand both peak in this window. For a full breakdown of dates, flights and package options, see our dedicated guide: Ramadan Umrah 2027: Flights & Travel Guide, or browse Ramadan Umrah packages directly.
Cheap Flights for Umrah 2026/27
Whichever visa route you use, getting your flights right matters as much as the visa itself. TripNext compares live fares across airlines flying to Jeddah, Madinah and Riyadh from the UK.
| Route | Airport |
|---|---|
| London → Jeddah | Flights to Jeddah |
| London → Madinah | Flights to Makkah & Madinah |
| Manchester → Jeddah | All UK to Saudi Arabia flights |
| Birmingham → Jeddah | All UK to Saudi Arabia flights |
| London → Riyadh | Flights to Riyadh |
Fares for these routes typically fluctuate with the season, rising sharply around Ramadan and UK school holidays. We haven't quoted fixed prices here since fares move constantly — see our live comparison on the UK to Saudi Arabia flights page for current fares on your dates.
TripNext tip: booking 8-12 weeks ahead and flying midweek generally brings the biggest savings on Umrah routes, outside of Ramadan and Hajj season when demand overrides normal booking-window patterns.
Best Time to Perform Umrah in 2026/27
Umrah can be performed year-round, but crowd levels, flight prices and hotel rates swing significantly by month. Here's the general pattern to plan around — treat this as a guide to timing rather than fixed pricing.
| Period | Crowd Levels | Flight & Hotel Prices |
|---|---|---|
| September–November | Low–Moderate | Generally lower |
| December–January (winter holidays) | Moderate–High | Higher around Christmas/New Year |
| February–early March (Ramadan 2027) | Very high, especially last 10 nights | Peak pricing |
| April–mid-May (approaching Hajj) | Rising, then closed for the visa | Variable — book early or avoid |
September and October are generally considered among the quieter, better-value months outside Ramadan, while the run-up to Hajj sees both rising demand and the multiple-entry visa blackout kick in — plan trips in this window carefully using the calculator above.
Umrah Packages from the UK
Since every Umrah visa now needs a Nusuk-verified hotel and transport package attached, booking your visa and your package together through an experienced operator is often simpler than trying to piece it together yourself.
Umrah Packages from the UK
Full range of Umrah packages departing the UK, bundling flights, hotels and Nusuk-linked visa processing.
View packages →Cheap Umrah Packages UK
Budget-friendly options for pilgrims prioritising value over premium hotel locations.
View packages →Luxury Umrah Packages UK
Premium hotels close to the Haram, private transport and higher-end service throughout.
View packages →Ramadan Umrah Packages
Packages built specifically around Ramadan 2027 dates, including last-10-nights options.
View packages →We also run monthly and Islamic-calendar-specific packages, including January, February, Muharram and Rabi-ul-Awwal Umrah packages.