Umrah checklist for UK pilgrims: visas, Nusuk, apps and what to pack

This is a practical checklist for Umrah from the UK: the visa and permits, the documents to carry, the apps to set up at home, what to pack for the phone, and what to do when you land in Jeddah or Madinah. It is written for this winter's trips over Christmas, New Year and the February half-term, but most of it applies whenever you travel.

Checked on 10 October 2026; rules change, so confirm on the official site before you book. We are an eSIM shop, not a visa service or travel agent, and we cannot help with visa or permit applications. Every rule below links to the official page that sets it.

1. Visa and permits

You need a visa. The UK government's entry requirements for Saudi Arabia say British citizens must get a visa to visit, and that the right type depends on why you are going and how long you will stay.

Route 1: the Saudi tourist eVisa. The official Saudi eVisa portal lists the United Kingdom as an eligible country and says the tourist visa covers Umrah, but not Hajj. You apply and pay online. The portal and gov.uk set out how long the visa lasts and how long you can stay, so read them there rather than relying on a summary that may be out of date.

Route 2: an Umrah package with the visa included. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's Nusuk Umrah platform sells packages from Ministry-licensed providers that include visa issuance along with accommodation and transport. Many UK pilgrims book through a UK travel company instead. If you do, gov.uk advises checking that the company is ATOL protected, getting everything in writing and paying by credit card where you can: it warns that organised fraud targets Umrah and Hajj travellers, many of them over 65.

Other routes. gov.uk also lists an electronic travel authorisation and an electronic visa waiver, which it says cover Umrah outside the Hajj season. Check its entry requirements page to see whether either applies to you.

The Hajj season. Umrah on these visas is only possible outside the Hajj season, and gov.uk says that around Hajj, Saudi authorities stop visitors who are not performing Hajj from flying to Jeddah, Madinah and Taif. Hajj in 2027 is expected around mid-May, so it does not affect a winter or Ramadan trip, but check if you are planning for the spring.

Your Umrah permit, in Nusuk. Performing Umrah needs a permit, booked in the Nusuk app or on the Nusuk website for a date and time slot. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah lists the permit as free. Its FAQ says visitors can register from outside the Kingdom with a valid visa, that entering the Grand Mosque for Umrah is linked to your permit time, and that a permit is cancelled automatically if you cannot enter the Kingdom by its start time. If your operator books permits for you, confirm that they have.

The Rawdah permit. Praying in the Rawdah at Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah needs a separate permit, booked in Nusuk, with separate bookings for men and women.

Passport. gov.uk says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It also says you will be refused entry with a passport that has been reported lost or stolen, and that you may not be allowed in if your passport shows travel to, or birth in, Israel.

Vaccinations. gov.uk says Umrah pilgrims need a certificate for the meningitis ACWY vaccine, obtained at least 10 days before arrival. NaTHNaC's Hajj and Umrah page on TravelHealthPro has the full health requirements and advice. When we checked, it noted that the Umrah requirements for this season were still to be published by the Saudi Ministry of Health, so look again closer to your trip, and book a travel clinic appointment in good time.

Travel advice and insurance. Read the FCDO's travel advice for Saudi Arabia before you book and again before you fly. When we checked, it advised against all but essential travel to some parts of the country, not including Makkah or Madinah, and warned of a heightened threat to airports in the region. Travelling against FCDO advice can affect your insurance, so make sure your policy covers the whole trip. gov.uk says the tourist eVisa includes some health insurance but recommends having more cover.

2. Documents to carry

• Your passport, plus a photocopy kept separately and another left with family at home, as gov.uk suggests.
• Your visa: a printed copy as well as the one on your phone.
• Your meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate.
• Flight details, hotel names and addresses in Makkah and Madinah, and your operator's emergency number.
• Travel insurance details and its emergency phone line.
• Enough of any regular medication for the whole trip plus a few days, in your hand luggage.

3. Apps to download before you fly

Set these up at home on Wi-Fi, where you have time to sign in and sort out any passwords:

• Nusuk, for your Umrah and Rawdah permits.
• WhatsApp, and join your group's chat before you leave.
• Your banking app, signed in and working, so you are not locked out abroad.
• Your airline's app, for check-in on the way home.
• A maps app with offline areas downloaded (see below).
• A translation app with Arabic downloaded for offline use.
• Your usual prayer times and Qibla app, and anything else you rely on day to day.

4. Offline maps of Makkah and Madinah

Download offline maps of both cities before you leave home. In Google Maps, search for the city, tap its name and choose Download offline map, then adjust the box to include your hotel and the Haram. Save your hotel as a favourite in each city. If you will travel between the cities by train, the Haramain High Speed Railway links Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City and Madinah, and tickets are sold on its official site.

5. Power bank and chargers

• A power bank. Long days at the Haram drain a phone faster than anything. Spare batteries and power banks go in your hand luggage, and some airlines restrict using them on board, so check your airline's rules.
• The right adaptor. Bring a travel adaptor and check the plug type for Saudi Arabia before you go.
• A short cable that fits in a pocket, so you can charge from the power bank while you walk.

6. Install your eSIM

• Check the phone. It needs to support eSIM and not be locked to a UK network. Our compatibility checker takes a few seconds.
• Choose the plan by days, not nights. A 7-night trip is usually 8 days on the ground. Our Umrah eSIM guide suggests a plan for 7, 10 and 14-night trips.
• Install it at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly, using the QR code from your email or your account. Label the new line "Saudi" and leave it switched off for now. Installing does not start the plan: it starts when the eSIM first connects to a network in Saudi Arabia.
• Keep your UK SIM switched on for bank texts, but turn off data roaming on it so it does not use data abroad.
• Do not delete the eSIM if something looks wrong. Contact us instead.

7. Landing at Jeddah (JED) or Madinah (MED)

• Switch on the Saudi line, set it as your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for that line. Give it a minute or two to connect.
• Send a message home to say you have arrived.
• Open Nusuk and check your permits and their times.
• Message your group leader or operator and find your transport. From Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport, the Haramain train has its own airport station.
• If the data does not connect after a few minutes, restart the phone once and check the Saudi line is the one set for data. Our support pages and team can help from there.

8. Winter weather in Makkah and Madinah

Winter is the mildest time of year, but it is not cold in Makkah. Long-term climate averages put December and January daytime highs in Makkah at around 31 to 33°C, with nights around 19 to 21°C. Rain is rare, though the odd heavy downpour does happen. Madinah is noticeably cooler: highs in the mid-20s and night-time lows of around 12 to 14°C, occasionally much colder, so pack a warm layer for early mornings. TravelHealthPro notes daytime temperatures can pass 30°C even in winter, so drink plenty, use sunscreen and keep out of direct sun where you can.

Before you go

When your dates are fixed, have a look at our Saudi Arabia plans. We wish you a safe and blessed journey.

Photo: Konevi on Pixabay.