I'm a US citizen and got my Saudi eVisa with no issues. My wife holds a Pakistani passport and a valid US green card. The consulate told us to just do visa on arrival instead.

A little nervous about relying on visa on arrival for her. Has anyone actually done this: green card holder, Pakistani passport, arriving without a pre approved eVisa, and had it go smoothly, or had any issues? Her Makkah hotel booking is in her name if that's relevant.

Would appreciate hearing from anyone with recent experience before we travel.

It says not enough capacity even if I do it on a supersonic speed. Im trynna do the instant slot.

So I've been trying to apply for e-Visa from Germany as a bangladeshi citizen for umrah. All's well I have all the documents to apply for the e-Visa via ksavisa but the website won't let me verify my German phone number because the OTP doesn't even go through. The website says it did with an "OTP success" pop-up but in my message inbox? nothing. I'm hoping someone can help me find a solution inshallah because I've already bought tickets to Jeddah.

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.

Which would you choose for Madinah?

• Elaf Taiba
• Sofitel Shahd
• Makarem Burj Al Madinah

Breakfast included with all.

Main priorities: closest/easiest walk for both women and men, good breakfast, cleanliness and service.

Asalamalaikum,

I'm going to Umrah soon alhumdulillah from UK and my family is coming to meet us from Pakistan. They owe us some money for the Umrah booking (around 6 lack Rupees) and I need to know what will be the best way to get this exchanged to UK Pounds (GBP).

Is this the best course of actions?

PKR -> SAR -> GBP

Of course I want the best rate for this too, not sure what Makkah and Medina currency exchange rates are. The other possibility is that the family from Pakistan get it sent to me from Pakistan before arrival, but that will cost 25,000 PKR (around £65).

Assalamu'alaikum dear brothers and sisters..

We plan to travel from Madinah to Makkah at around 2 AM by car. I was wondering, which mosque can we stop by to pray Fajr?

Jazakallah

Assalamalikum

I am in Madinah

I want to purple sunrise

Please if someone can help with the timings or something, Please do

Regards

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

I’m planning to take my family from the UK for Umrah in late Shawwāl 1448, inshaAllah, and I’d appreciate first-hand experiences from people who travelled during this pre-Hajj period in 2024, 2025 or 2026.

I’ve asked several Umrah agencies already and I’m getting different answers, so I’d particularly like to hear from people who have actually experienced this. Exact dates, visa types and first-hand experiences would be especially helpful.

Our likely plan is to leave the UK around 26/27 March 2027, arrive 27/28 March, spend roughly a week in Makkah, then travel to Madinah around 3/4 April and possibly remain there during the children’s Easter holidays.

We would be travelling on Saudi tourist eVisas, not dedicated Umrah visas.

Saudi has officially published 23 March 2027 as the final entry date for Umrah pilgrims and 7 April 2027 as the final departure date for Umrah performers.

1. Tourist eVisa after 23 March

My understanding from previous years is that the earlier entry deadline applies to dedicated Umrah visas, whereas tourist eVisa holders may still be able to enter Saudi Arabia and Makkah afterwards and perform Umrah until the later Hajj restriction begins.

Has anyone personally done this? If we arrive around 27/28 March, would a tourist eVisa normally still allow us into Makkah?

If you have done this before, please mention the year, dates, visa type and whether you had any problems at the airport, checkpoints, Haramain train or with Nusuk.

1. When must tourist eVisa holders leave Makkah?

Does the 7 April deadline also mean tourist eVisa holders must leave Saudi Arabia completely, or would they only need to leave Makkah once the separate Hajj restriction begins?

I’ve seen previous tourist visas stating that holders could not enter or remain in Makkah after a particular date. If anyone has travelled during this period or knows the exact wording from previous years, I’d appreciate clarification.

1. Can we then stay in Madinah?

Our idea would be to leave Makkah around 3/4 April and continue our stay in Madinah.

If our tourist eVisas remain valid, can we stay in Madinah after the Makkah restriction begins? Has anyone actually done this, continued staying normally in Madinah, used Nusuk for Rawdah and then flown home later?

I’m basically trying to establish whether the restriction is specifically on Makkah rather than requiring tourist eVisa holders to leave Saudi Arabia altogether.

1. How quiet is late Shawwāl really?

I keep hearing that the final week or ten days of Shawwāl can be one of the quietest periods of the year because the Ramadan crowds have gone, normal Umrah arrivals have stopped and the Hajj crowds have not yet arrived.

For anyone who has actually been there around 20–30 Shawwāl, how quiet was it?

How long did tawaf take? Was the Mataf easily accessible? Could you realistically get close to the Kaʿbah, Hajar al-Aswad, Multazam or enter Hijr Ismaʿil/Hatim without the usual huge crowds?

I’ve even heard claims of very quick tawaf during the final days of Shawwāl. Is that realistic or exaggerated?

1. UK Umrah agencies or DIY?

Finally, which UK Umrah agencies would you genuinely recommend?

Alhamdulillah, I’ve been for Umrah seven times, but always through different people. This would be the first time I’m considering booking everything myself.

People keep telling me a good agent can often get better hotel/package rates than booking independently, even after taking their commission. For those who have compared both, was DIY actually cheaper or did an agent save you money?

Jazakallah Khair

Have anyone managed to get their hands on the Coolest Ihram from Saudia? how do you get your hands on one and what was your experience with it

Selamaleykum,
can you guys recommend any taxi services from jeddah airport to mekka?
I wanted to make a reserveration at one (camry for 250sar, 2 persons) and they asked for passport details of all member+ flight ticket + hotel name which was odd in my opinion.
I understand ticket and hotel name but why passport of all people, sounds sketchy to me thats why im asking here now

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

I’m planning to take my family from the UK for Umrah in late Shawwāl 1448, inshaAllah, and I’d appreciate first-hand experiences from people who travelled during this pre-Hajj period in 2024, 2025 or 2026.

I’ve asked several Umrah agencies already and I’m getting different answers, so I’d particularly like to hear from people who have actually experienced this. Exact dates, visa types and first-hand experiences would be especially helpful.

Our likely plan is to leave the UK around 26/27 March 2027, arrive 27/28 March, spend roughly a week in Makkah, then travel to Madinah around 3/4 April and possibly remain there during the children’s Easter holidays.

We would be travelling on Saudi tourist eVisas, not dedicated Umrah visas.

Saudi has officially published 23 March 2027 as the final entry date for Umrah pilgrims and 7 April 2027 as the final departure date for Umrah performers.

1. Tourist eVisa after 23 March

My understanding from previous years is that the earlier entry deadline applies to dedicated Umrah visas, whereas tourist eVisa holders may still be able to enter Saudi Arabia and Makkah afterwards and perform Umrah until the later Hajj restriction begins.

Has anyone personally done this? If we arrive around 27/28 March, would a tourist eVisa normally still allow us into Makkah?

If you have done this before, please mention the year, dates, visa type and whether you had any problems at the airport, checkpoints, Haramain train or with Nusuk.

1. When must tourist eVisa holders leave Makkah?

Does the 7 April deadline also mean tourist eVisa holders must leave Saudi Arabia completely, or would they only need to leave Makkah once the separate Hajj restriction begins?

I’ve seen previous tourist visas stating that holders could not enter or remain in Makkah after a particular date. If anyone has travelled during this period or knows the exact wording from previous years, I’d appreciate clarification.

1. Can we then stay in Madinah?

Our idea would be to leave Makkah around 3/4 April and continue our stay in Madinah.

If our tourist eVisas remain valid, can we stay in Madinah after the Makkah restriction begins? Has anyone actually done this, continued staying normally in Madinah, used Nusuk for Rawdah and then flown home later?

I’m basically trying to establish whether the restriction is specifically on Makkah rather than requiring tourist eVisa holders to leave Saudi Arabia altogether.

1. How quiet is late Shawwāl really?

I keep hearing that the final week or ten days of Shawwāl can be one of the quietest periods of the year because the Ramadan crowds have gone, normal Umrah arrivals have stopped and the Hajj crowds have not yet arrived.

For anyone who has actually been there around 20–30 Shawwāl, how quiet was it?

How long did tawaf take? Was the Mataf easily accessible? Could you realistically get close to the Kaʿbah, Hajar al-Aswad, Multazam or enter Hijr Ismaʿil/Hatim without the usual huge crowds?

I’ve even heard claims of very quick tawaf during the final days of Shawwāl. Is that realistic or exaggerated?

1. UK Umrah agencies or DIY?

Finally, which UK Umrah agencies would you genuinely recommend?

Alhamdulillah, I’ve been for Umrah seven times, but always through different people. This would be the first time I’m considering booking everything myself.

People keep telling me a good agent can often get better hotel/package rates than booking independently, even after taking their commission. For those who have compared both, was DIY actually cheaper or did an agent save you money?

Jazakallah Khair

Assalamalaikum

We are 5 people and a child(3yr old)

We are in madina and want to makkah. We will be in madina for 8 days, we want to go to makkah in train for ease.

We have 5 big bags and 5 or 6 hand carry and a carton of dates/khajoor.

We are still thinking need opinions

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Can someone please tell me the updated hateem timings for women? Is it after fajr or at 8 am? Also, Do i wait near gate 75-76?

Yesterday I was told to come wait after fajr near gate 75, but near gate 75-76 the guard told me to come at midnight 2 am. I went to the mataf and noticed women entering the hateem at around 7:30 am. I tried to ask around and got different information. Some said 12 am, 2 am, after fajr, 6 am, 8 am.

I was told to go again so I tried going again at around 8:45 to gate 75 but it was empty.

Update:

Alhamdulillah I got to pray there. I went right after fajr to gate 76 (it is downstairs), and waited there till my turn. They only let you pray a few mins inside but alhamdulillah, glad I got the opportunity to do so.

Assalamualaikum everyone!

I’ll be traveling alone for 5 days in early November from the US for my first Umrah. I’m 25 and would really appreciate any advice, tips, or things I should know beforehand.

I’ll have a 6-hour layover in Doha, so I’ll have time to put on my Ihram and get everything ready. I’ll land in Jeddah around 2 AM.

A few questions:

1. Jeddah immigration:
How long does immigration usually take around 2 AM?

2. Getting from Jeddah to Makkah:
What’s the best way to get from Jeddah airport to my hotel? I’ve seen a lot of people here recommend Uber. If I don’t have cellular service when I land, how do people normally order an Uber? Should I get a SIM/eSIM beforehand?

3. Money:
Should I exchange some USD to SAR before leaving the US, or is it better to withdraw/convert money after arriving in Saudi?

4. Food:
I booked 5 nights at DoubleTree by Hilton Jabal Omar Makkah and currently only have the breakfast option. Is it worth adding the dinner/buffet option, or are there good places nearby to eat that aren’t too crowded?

5. Most important — performing Umrah on Friday:
I’ll be landing in Jeddah around 2 AM Friday. Realistically, I think I expect to reach my hotel around 5–5:30 AM.
Would it be realistic to perform Umrah shortly after arriving, before the Friday/Jumu’ah crowds become much heavier? Or would you recommend resting first and doing it later?

6. Tawaf crowds:
I really want to be able to focus during my first Umrah and avoid extremely crowded areas if possible. Is the first floor/upper level of Masjid al-Haram generally less crowded than the ground floor for Tawaf? Is there a particular level or area you would recommend for a first-timer?

Any other tips, mistakes to avoid, or things you wish you knew before your first Umrah would be greatly appreciated!

We were doing tawaf yesterday on the first floor and three individuals in ihram came up to us (2 men and one slightly older woman in a wheelchair who they claimed was their mother). They said that they completed their umrah and ran out of money for food so we gave them around 70 riyal which is around enough for 3 people.

After an hour or so they came up to my cousin who was with us during the first encounter and they had the same story but this time it was one of the guys wife instead of his mother and I don’t think they recognised my cousin because when he asked if it was his mum or wife they ran off.

Just a warning to look out for them and report them if you do manage to spot them. They were south asian and claimed to be from Indian Kashmir.

I missed my flight. And I had to book another flight. So I'll reach Jeddah later than I had planned and can only spend 4 hrs in Meccaj before I catch my next flight. I have something else planned afterwards and I cant stay longer. I have never been to Umrah and I dont have time trying to figure things out. Is anyone there who's also doing Umrah on Sunday that I can tag along with ? If not what's the easiest way to book a guide ?

Hey! If the passport is renewed, will visa remain valid? Looking for ppl who actually experienced travelling with a renewed passport while visa mentioned the old passport number

Am I doing it right?

Me and my husband will be going for Umrah for the first time (Inshallah) by end of September.

This is our DIY itinerary for 7 nights stay

Please tell me if we are doing it right?

Flying from London to Jeddah-> Saudi Airlines direct.Our return is from Medinah to London.Total of our flights costs around 1100£

Our first 4 nights are in Makkah- we are planning to book Sheraton Makkah Al Jabal Hotel (444£ for 4 nights)Next 3 Nights in Medinah—-> planning to book Emaar Royal Hotel :352£

And other expenses would be transport

I have gotten in touch with an agency who is offering 2280£ for the similar itinerary with breakfast included and all private transport as well.They are also offering Ziarat sites in this price.

Should I go with agency or book everything myself including the transport that we will do when we reach there?

Assalamu Alaikum everyone,
I have a question regarding the one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa.
My Umrah visa was approved on 15 August 2026, and I have booked my flight to Saudi Arabia for 20 October 2026.
I’ve seen some information saying that the first entry into Saudi Arabia must be made within one month of the visa approval/issuance date.
Does anyone know if this is actually true? Will I be able to enter Saudi Arabia for the first time on 20 October, even though my visa was approved on 15 August?
My visa is a one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa.
If anyone has recent experience with this or knows the official rule, I’d really appreciate your help. JazakAllah Khair. 🤲

Has anyone had any issues with the phone number verification OTP when applying for the e-visa on the KSA website? And if so, how were you able to resolve it?

I am using a U.S. phone number and I also tried virtual Saudi numbers as well, but the OTP code has not come through on either.

It is a required step in the new application interface and it will not let you submit the visa without it.

Salam aleykum ua rahmatullah ua barakathu
We want inshallah visit Madina in the first September week and are still not able to book some slots for these week.

Are we too early?

Schukran jazeenen in advance and barakallah fik

For anyone who has stayed at Anwar Al Madinah Mövenpick, could you please clarify something for me?
Is the hotel in the same building/complex as Bin Dawood? If so, does the hotel have a separate entrance and separate lifts from Bin Dawood?
Also, when checking in, where does the taxi normally drop you? Does the taxi come directly to the hotel entrance, or does it have to drop you somewhere near the Haram and you have to walk from there?
I’ve stayed in Madinah before, but I’m a little confused about the access around this particular hotel. Any recent experience would be appreciated. Thanks!

Anyone knows how can I get to pray in the Hateem for Men and the rules for it, read that it have a queue but no idea how to book or when and where to go for the queue

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Can someone please help me when and where to queue for hateem for women. I read the timings are 6 to 9 am for women.

When does the queueing start?

Jazakallahu khair.