Umrah visa for British citizens: options, fees and rules
British citizens have 4 ways to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah. The lowest fee is SAR 50 (about £10) for the electronic travel authorisation. These are Saudi government rules, each with its source. They are separate from religious guidance.
The options and their fees
| Visa | Fee per person | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic travel authorisation | SAR 50about £10 | For British citizens. Apply online before you travel. It covers Umrah outside the Hajj season, but the UK notes it does not include health insurance.An application fee, not refundable. No insurance is included, so budget for your own.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026 |
| Tourist visa | SAR 395about £79 | Apply online before you go, or get it on arrival. Saudi Arabia's tourism site says it can be used for Umrah outside the Hajj season. Medical insurance is included in the fee.Includes the application fee and medical insurance. The fee is not refundable.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026 |
| Umrah visa | SAR 300about £60 | Issued through Nusuk Umrah or a licensed agent. The Ministry says it cannot be issued without a service package (hotel and transport), so it only partly fits a do-it-yourself trip.The Ministry calls this an estimate. It is the visa fee only: the package it must come with is priced separately and no price is published.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, questions and answers, checked 10 November 2026 |
| Stopover visa | SAR 52.50about £10 | For a stay of up to 96 hours when you fly Saudia or flynas and break your journey in Saudi Arabia. The visa is free; you pay an application fee and insurance.Both amounts are described as rough by the source, and insurance is a starting price.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026 |
Converted at 0.1996 GBP to the riyal. Rate: Bank of England, daily spot exchange rates, checked 10 November 2026
Electronic travel authorisation: the rules
- The electronic travel authorisation covers tourism, business, study, medical treatment and Umrah. It cannot be used for Hajj.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026
- The UK says an ETA is valid for 730 days and for multiple entries, up to 180 days in total, and does not include health insurance.GOV.UK, entry requirements for Saudi Arabia, checked 10 November 2026
Tourist visa: the rules
- You can use the tourist visa to perform Umrah, but not during the Hajj season.Visit Saudi, visa questions, checked 10 November 2026
- A multiple-entry visa is valid for one year and allows up to 90 consecutive days per stay.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026
Umrah visa: the rules
- An Umrah visa cannot be issued without a service package covering accommodation and transport.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, questions and answers, checked 10 November 2026
- For the 1448 AH season, Umrah visas stop being issued on 9 March 2027 and the last day to enter on one is 23 March 2027.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH, checked 10 November 2026
Stopover visa: the rules
- The stopover visa allows a stay of up to 96 hours and can be used to perform Umrah.Visit Saudi, visa regulations, checked 10 November 2026
- It allows a stay of up to 96 hours.
When these visas can be used for Umrah
- The Umrah visa has a season. For 1448 the last day to enter on one is 23 March 2027 and the last day to leave is 7 April 2027.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH, checked 10 November 2026
- In 1447 (2026) Umrah permits were suspended from 18 April to 31 May, and from 18 April holders of every kind of visa except a Hajj visa were not allowed to enter or remain in Makkah. The dates for 1448 have not been announced; the same Hijri dates would be about 8 April 2027 to 20 May 2027.Saudi Ministry of Interior, Hajj season arrangements 1447 AH, checked 10 November 2026
Before you travel
- Passport with an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive. GOV.UK, entry requirements for Saudi Arabia, checked 10 November 2026
- The UK's note on visas. The UK says British citizens can apply online for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for Umrah outside the Hajj season, and that an ETA does not include health insurance.GOV.UK, entry requirements for Saudi Arabia, checked 10 November 2026
- Know what is not protected when you book it yourself. ATOL protects package trips that include a flight. The Civil Aviation Authority says it is not travel insurance, and that accommodation-only bookings are not ATOL protected. A flight and a hotel booked separately are not a package, so arrange your own travel insurance.UK Civil Aviation Authority, what ATOL protection means, checked 10 November 2026UK Civil Aviation Authority, what ATOL does not cover, checked 10 November 2026
- Meningococcal (ACYW) vaccine, at least 10 days before you arrive. Saudi Arabia's health ministry requires it of everyone performing Umrah, from every country: a conjugate vaccine within the last 5 years, or a polysaccharide vaccine within the last 3. Keep the certificate with the vaccine's name and date. The published document is the 1447 AH (2026) edition; no later edition was posted when this was checked.Saudi Ministry of Health, health requirements for Umrah 1447H (2026), checked 10 November 2026GOV.UK, pilgrimage advice for Saudi Arabia, checked 10 November 2026
- Medicines in their original packaging, enough for the whole trip. Saudi Arabia's health ministry asks pilgrims to carry sufficient quantities of their medications in original packaging. Medicines that contain narcotic or psychotropic substances need a personal clearance permit from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, for no more than a 30-day supply or the length of your stay, whichever is shorter.Saudi Ministry of Health, health requirements for Umrah 1447H (2026), checked 10 November 2026Saudi Food and Drug Authority, permits for pilgrims' medicines, checked 10 November 2026
- Nusuk app installed and registered. The Ministry says visitors can register from outside the Kingdom once they hold a valid visa, so do this after the visa arrives.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, questions and answers, checked 10 November 2026
- Umrah permit booked in Nusuk (free). Entry to the Haram to perform Umrah is tied to the time on your permit. Entering to pray needs no permit.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah permit application, checked 10 November 2026Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, questions and answers, checked 10 November 2026
- Rawdah permit booked in Nusuk if you are going to Madinah (free). Praying in the Prophet's Mosque needs no booking. Praying in the Rawdah does.Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Rawdah permit, checked 10 November 2026Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, questions and answers, checked 10 November 2026
- Declare cash or jewellery worth SAR 40,000 or more. Saudi customs also asks travellers to declare gifts or personal purchases worth SAR 3,000 or more, and goods in commercial quantities.Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, what to declare, checked 10 November 2026
What the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office says now
“Advises against all but essential travel”. FCDO advises against: all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen; all but essential travel to the rest of Saudi Arabia. Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).Updated 27 October 2026. GOV.UK, foreign travel advice for Saudi Arabia, checked 10 November 2026
Questions about Umrah visas from the UK
How much is a visa for Umrah from the UK?
The electronic travel authorisation is SAR 50, about £10, per person. The tourist visa is SAR 395, about £79, per person. The umrah visa is SAR 300, about £60, per person. The stopover visa is SAR 52.50, about £10, per person. Fees were read from the sources named on this page on 10 November 2026.
What is the electronic travel authorisation and can it be used for Umrah?
For British citizens. Apply online before you travel. It covers Umrah outside the Hajj season, but the UK notes it does not include health insurance. The electronic travel authorisation covers tourism, business, study, medical treatment and Umrah. It cannot be used for Hajj.
What is the tourist visa and can it be used for Umrah?
Apply online before you go, or get it on arrival. Saudi Arabia's tourism site says it can be used for Umrah outside the Hajj season. Medical insurance is included in the fee. You can use the tourist visa to perform Umrah, but not during the Hajj season.
What is the umrah visa and can it be used for Umrah?
Issued through Nusuk Umrah or a licensed agent. The Ministry says it cannot be issued without a service package (hotel and transport), so it only partly fits a do-it-yourself trip. An Umrah visa cannot be issued without a service package covering accommodation and transport.
What is the stopover visa and can it be used for Umrah?
For a stay of up to 96 hours when you fly Saudia or flynas and break your journey in Saudi Arabia. The visa is free; you pay an application fee and insurance. The stopover visa allows a stay of up to 96 hours and can be used to perform Umrah.
Is a permit needed for Umrah as well as a visa?
Umrah permit booked in Nusuk (free). Entry to the Haram to perform Umrah is tied to the time on your permit. Entering to pray needs no permit.
Plan the rest
- Plan Umrah from LondonWith the visa fee already in the budget.
- Plan Umrah from ManchesterWith the visa fee already in the budget.
- Plan Umrah from BirminghamWith the visa fee already in the budget.
- Plan Umrah from GlasgowWith the visa fee already in the budget.
- The Umrah calendar
- Visa options for other countries