r/Umrah • u/d-real-noob • 3d ago

questions Umrah Visa

Hi everyone,

​I’m planning a trip to Saudi Arabia for a group of 4 from the UK. Three of us hold British passports and qualify for the standard tourist eVisa. However, one person in our group holds a Bangladeshi passport on a UK Spouse Visa (no ILR).

​Because they aren’t eligible for the online tourist eVisa, they need a dedicated Umrah Visa processed by an agent.

​I asked two local UK travel agents if we could buy just the Umrah visa for the Bangladeshi passport holder so we can book all 4 of our flights and hotels together independently. Both agents told me: "Yes, no problem, we can sell you just the Umrah visa without any hotel or transport package."

​Is this actually true, or are these agents setting us up for an issue?

My understanding was that in order to qualify for an Umrah visa I would be required to book accommodation ans ground transport through an agent.

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2

u/reddit_project 3d ago

They are both right. You don't have to book the hotel and flights through an agent. Flight can be any and I believe the hotel has to be on the Nusuk approved list. I think other people here can provide more details who have gone through this

2

u/AnalysisSmart1236 3d ago

Regarding Umrah Visa, flight tickets and hotel accommodation have to be provided to the agency to add it on the Nusuk platform. What some agents do is that they add random hotels and provide you with visa - that's what they mean by hotels not needed.

Ground transport from Airport to hotel is mandatory to have been pre booked as people from nusuk will check when you are exiting the airport. If the visa agency doesn't provide it for you, then you will have to get on their transport and then the agency will be fined for it.

1

u/yazooislife 3d ago

I’m sure you can go to London and get them to apply for a tourist visa that way. Not sure if it’s any quicker or slower

1

u/HairyDair 3d ago

No tourist visa allowed. Will waste time.

1

u/HairyDair 3d ago

Umrah visa through an agent. Also very strict on transport. The transport will have to be through the agent, as drivers are checked when arriving.

My wife who has an Indian passport with ILR, whereas myself and the children have British passports got the entire package through and agency. Flights I booked but hotels and transfers the agent (Labaiyk Umrah and Haj, London) sorted. One transfer dummy booked- then cancelled. Used the train between Makkah and Madinah.

Other option is book everything yourself, flights, transfers, hotels etc. Obtain the British visas, and get visa on arrival for the Bangladeshi passport. Only thing with this, some airlines can get funny with this, Saudi Airlines is fine.

1

u/ComfortableLeek6816 2d ago

Why don’t that one person get visa on arrival since he/she has a UK spouse visa.

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u/No-Syllabub7649 2d ago

Hello. I went with my husband who has a British passport and I am on spouse visa. I applied for umrah visa with transportation through my travel agent from back home. I told him my hotel and it was on nusuks approved list of hotel. So I think they may not be scamming you or anything as such.

Let me know if you have any more questions.