Umrah Visa From the USA: Requirements, Cost & How to Apply (2026)

Key Takeaways

• US citizens can perform Umrah on either the Saudi tourist eVisa or a dedicated Umrah eVisa booked through Nusuk or a licensed agency. Both work, and they’re priced differently.
• The tourist eVisa costs around $140 to $145 total. The dedicated Umrah eVisa costs less upfront (roughly $80 to $130) but is usually bundled into a package price.
• You’ll need a passport valid for at least six months, a meningococcal ACWY vaccination certificate (at least 10 days before travel), and Nusuk-verified hotel and transport bookings.
• Green Card holders apply the same way as any other US resident, based on the passport they hold, not their US residency status.
• Saudi visa rules shift often. Treat every number here as a planning estimate and confirm current fees and rules on Nusuk or Visit Saudi before you pay for anything.

If you’re US-based and planning Umrah, the visa is usually the first thing that trips people up. Good news: it’s actually pretty simple once you know which visa type fits your trip. Here’s the full breakdown, current as of this update.

Do US Citizens Need a Visa for Umrah?

Yes. US citizens need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah, but you have two solid options and the process is mostly online.

You can’t just show up and perform Umrah without one. The good news is Saudi Arabia has made this fairly painless for US passport holders. You’re eligible for the Saudi tourist eVisa, which lets you do Umrah and general tourism on the same visa, or you can go through a dedicated Umrah visa via Nusuk or a licensed travel agency. Either route is applied for online, and both typically get approved within a few days.

A decade ago, this process meant routing everything through a travel agency and waiting days, sometimes weeks, for paperwork to clear. Now most of it happens on your phone or laptop. That’s a big shift, and it’s part of why Umrah numbers from the US have climbed steadily over the past few years. On our tours, we still see clients who assume the process is more complicated than it is, mostly because that used to be true.

Types of Visas That Allow Umrah

There are three main paths for US travelers: the tourist eVisa, the dedicated Nusuk Umrah visa, and visa on arrival for a small group of eligible travelers.

Saudi tourist eVisa

This is the simplest option for most US citizens. You apply directly at the official Saudi eVisa portal, and it lets you combine Umrah with general tourism, so you could add a few days in Riyadh, AlUla, or the Red Sea coast to the same trip.

As of this update, the tourist eVisa runs around SAR 535 (roughly $140 to $145), which includes mandatory medical insurance. Approval typically comes through within 24 to 72 hours. It’s valid for multiple entries over a year, with each stay capped at 90 days, though check the current terms when you apply since validity periods do get revised.

Dedicated Umrah visa via Nusuk / licensed agencies

This is the traditional route, built specifically for pilgrims. It’s processed through the Nusuk platform, either directly or through a Ministry-approved travel agency.

The government fee itself is lower, around SAR 300 (about $80), plus mandatory medical insurance of SAR 100 to 180, bringing the official total closer to $107 to $128. Where this route gets more expensive is the requirement that your visa be tied to a verified Nusuk hotel and transport booking. That package, covering your hotel and transport but not flights, typically adds several hundred dollars more. Most travelers get this bundled into a full agency package rather than piecing it together themselves.

Visa on arrival: who qualifies

Visa on arrival exists for a specific list of eligible nationalities and passport holders, and it’s not the default route for most US-based travelers doing a dedicated Umrah trip.

If you already hold a valid US visa, a UK visa, or a Schengen visa, you may qualify for the eVisa-on-arrival style process for tourism-linked Umrah travel. This isn’t the same as the dedicated Umrah visa, so double-check eligibility on the official portal before planning around it. On our tours, we default clients to the tourist eVisa or Nusuk route since they’re more predictable.

For US passport holders specifically, visa on arrival isn’t really necessary anyway, since the online tourist eVisa already covers you and gets approved fast enough that there’s little reason to wait until you land. It’s more relevant for travelers from countries without direct eVisa access.

Umrah Visa Requirements for US Travelers

Whichever visa type you choose, Saudi Arabia asks for the same core set of documents and health checks.

Here’s what you’ll typically need to have ready:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months from your travel date
• A recent, clear passport-style photo
• Proof of meningococcal ACWY vaccination, given at least 10 days before you travel
• Confirmed Nusuk-verified hotel and transport bookings (required for the dedicated Umrah visa)
• Return or onward flight confirmation
• Travel or medical insurance, which is often bundled into the visa fee itself
• Payment method for visa or service charges

Vaccination requirements can shift by season, especially around Hajj and flu season, so check the current Ministry of Health guidance a few weeks before you fly rather than relying on last year’s list.

A quick tip from our team: get your vaccination sorted at least three weeks out, not the bare minimum 10 days. Some clinics in the US need a follow-up appointment to actually print the certificate, and you don’t want that holding up your visa submission the week before your flight.

How to Apply Step by Step

You can apply either directly through Nusuk yourself, or let a licensed agency handle the whole thing for you.

Applying through Nusuk

Create an account on the official Nusuk platform, select your Umrah visa category, and upload your passport, photo, and vaccination certificate. You’ll also need to select and confirm a Nusuk-approved hotel and transport package as part of the application, since standalone Umrah visa applications without a linked booking are generally no longer accepted. Once submitted, approval usually takes anywhere from 1 to 3 business days for individual eVisa applications, and up to 5 to 10 business days for group visas.

Applying through a licensed agency

This is the route most first-timers pick, mainly because the agency handles the Nusuk booking requirement for you. You send over your documents, they submit the application, confirm your hotel and transport package, and let you know once it’s approved. On our tours, this is exactly what we handle for clients from start to finish, so you’re not stuck untangling the Nusuk portal on your own at midnight before a deadline.

Either way, the actual paperwork is the same. What changes is who’s clicking the buttons. If you’re comfortable with online forms and want full control over your hotel choice, going direct through Nusuk is fine. If you’d rather hand it off and just get a confirmation email when it’s done, an agency saves you the back-and-forth, especially if this is your first time navigating the platform.

Umrah Visa Cost & Processing Time

Here’s a snapshot of what you’re likely looking at, based on current published rates. Confirm exact figures before you pay, since Saudi authorities adjust these from time to time.

Visa Type	Approx. Cost (USD)	Processing Time
Tourist eVisa	$140 to $145 (insurance included)	24 to 72 hours
Dedicated Umrah eVisa (govt. fee only)	$80 to $130 (insurance included)	1 to 3 business days
Umrah eVisa + Nusuk package (hotel/transport)	Several hundred dollars more, varies by tier	Same as above
Agency service/processing fee	$50 to $200 on top of govt. fee	Varies by agency

Figures current as of August 2026. Saudi visa fees and processing rules change by season, so verify current pricing on Nusuk or with your agency before booking.

Here’s the thing worth understanding before you compare quotes: a “$300 Umrah visa” from one agency and an “$80 Umrah visa” from another can both be technically accurate. The real difference is what’s bundled in, hotel tier, transport type, group size, and service fees. Always ask exactly what’s included in the visa-linked package before assuming one quote is cheaper than another.

Rules for Green Card Holders & Non-US Passports Living in the USA

Your visa application is based on your passport nationality, not on your US residency status.

If you’re a Green Card holder traveling on a non-US passport, you apply for the Umrah visa according to your passport country’s rules, not the US rules, even though you live in America. Some nationalities aren’t eligible for the tourist eVisa and need to go through the dedicated Umrah visa via an approved agency instead. If you’re not sure which category applies to you, check your passport country against the current eVisa eligibility list on the official portal, or ask your travel agency to confirm before you start the application.

This comes up a lot with our Pakistani-American clients specifically. If you hold a Pakistani passport and US Green Card, your eligibility and required documents follow Pakistani passport rules, which usually means the dedicated Umrah visa route through an approved agency rather than the tourist eVisa. Your US residency doesn’t change that. It’s a common mix-up, so flag your exact passport and residency situation with your agency early, before you start collecting documents.

Can You Perform Umrah on a Tourist Visa?

Yes. The Saudi tourist eVisa explicitly allows Umrah, so you don’t need the dedicated Umrah visa if you’d rather keep things flexible.

This is actually one of the more popular routes for US travelers right now, since it lets you combine Umrah with a few extra days of sightseeing on the same trip, without needing a Nusuk-linked hotel package. Just keep in mind that during Hajj season, or the weeks immediately around it, entry for Umrah purposes on any visa type is typically paused, so check the current Nusuk calendar if you’re traveling close to those dates.

One thing to note: the tourist eVisa route works well if you’re booking your own hotels and flights independently. If you’d rather have everything pre-arranged, including transport between Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah, the dedicated Umrah package still tends to be the smoother option, even though the upfront visa fee looks higher once the package is added in.

Common Rejection Reasons & How to Avoid Them

Most rejections come down to paperwork issues, not eligibility issues.

• Passport with less than 6 months validity left
• Blurry or outdated photo that doesn’t meet the photo spec
• Missing or expired vaccination certificate
• Mismatched name spelling between passport, visa application, and flight booking
• Incomplete or unconfirmed Nusuk hotel and transport booking for the dedicated Umrah visa
• Applying too close to travel dates during peak season, when processing slows down

Double-checking every document against your passport before you submit, and applying at least 3 to 4 weeks before your trip, avoids almost all of these.

If you do get rejected, don’t panic, most cases can be fixed and resubmitted quickly once the actual issue is identified. Agencies see this constantly and usually know within minutes what went wrong. Going it alone, you might have to dig through Nusuk’s rejection notes yourself, which is one more reason a lot of first-timers lean on a licensed agency for this step specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is an Umrah visa valid?

Validity depends on the visa type. The tourist eVisa is generally valid for multiple entries over a year, with each visit capped at up to 90 days. The dedicated Umrah eVisa usually has a shorter validity window tied to your specific booking dates. Always check the exact validity shown on your approved visa before you travel.

Can women apply for an Umrah visa without a mahram?

Saudi Arabia has relaxed its mahram requirement over recent years, and many women now apply and travel for Umrah without a male guardian, often as part of an organized group. Exact eligibility rules can shift, so confirm current policy on Nusuk or with your agency, and check with your own scholar regarding the religious ruling.

Are vaccinations required for Umrah?

Yes, a meningococcal ACWY vaccination certificate is currently required, given at least 10 days before you travel. Additional seasonal vaccines may apply depending on health advisories at the time of your trip. Check the current Saudi Ministry of Health requirements a few weeks before flying, since these do get updated.

Can you visit other Saudi cities on an Umrah visa?

It depends on the visa type. The tourist eVisa allows general travel around Saudi Arabia, including cities like Riyadh and AlUla. The dedicated Umrah eVisa is more restricted and is generally intended for travel between Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah only, so check current terms if you want to add other cities.

Is the Umrah visa single or multiple entry?

The tourist eVisa is typically multiple entry. The dedicated Umrah eVisa is usually single entry, tied to one specific Umrah trip and booking. Always confirm entry terms on your approved visa document, since this detail affects whether you can leave and re-enter Saudi Arabia during your stay.

Do children need their own Umrah visa?

Yes, children generally need their own visa application, even if they’re traveling with a parent. Requirements are usually lighter (photo and passport, with vaccination rules varying by age), but they still need to be registered individually through Nusuk or your agency. Check current age-specific rules before you apply.

Sorting out your Umrah visa doesn’t have to be a headache. Our team handles the entire Nusuk application, hotel and transport package, and paperwork check for you, so you can focus on getting ready for the trip itself. Check out our Hajj & Umrah packages to see what’s included, or head to our contact page and we’ll walk you through your options. Still working out the rituals themselves? Our How to Perform Umrah guide covers every step from ihram to halq or taqsir.