Umrah visa from Egypt: requirements and how to apply
Egyptians cannot self-apply; a licensed operator files the Umrah visa with a Nusuk booking. Routes, steps, health documents, embassy and flights for the 1448 AH season (31 May 2026 to 7 April 2027).
Can Egyptians get an Umrah visa online?
Not on their own. Egypt is not on the Saudi eVisa list (the March 2026 Saudi-Egypt visa exemption covers diplomatic, special and service passports only), so Egyptians apply through a licensed Umrah company with a Nusuk booking. Saudia flies nonstop from Cairo, Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh, with seasonal flights from El Alamein and Hurghada. The Saudi Ministry of Health advises (does not require) a polio dose for travellers from Egypt.
Step by step for Egyptians
- Choose an operator in Egypt that is authorised on Nusuk: ask for its Nusuk Masar partner name and check the contract QR code before paying a deposit.
- Give the operator a passport with six months' validity, a photo, and your vaccination record. The operator files the visa together with a Nusuk hotel and transport booking; a visa cannot be issued without those bookings.
- Ask for the visa only when your dates are fixed: it must be used to enter within 30 days of issue.
- Get the meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before departure, plus any polio or yellow fever certificate listed in the health table below.
- Install the Nusuk app and book your Umrah permit (and a Rawdah slot for Madinah) before you land. The operator can do this for the group.
- Keep copies of the visa, the Nusuk booking reference and the operator's contract; you will be asked for the booking at check-in.
What drives the cost
The visa fee and the compulsory insurance are set by the Saudi government and shown on the portal at the time you apply; we do not quote them here because they change. On top of that come the Nusuk hotel nights (distance from the Haram is the biggest lever), ground transport, flights from Egypt and, on the operator route, the operator's service fee. Use the cost calculator for a range, then compare quotes line by line.
Vaccines and health documents for Umrah from Egypt
These are the Saudi Ministry of Health requirements for Umrah travellers in the 1447 H (2026) edition, read for Egypt specifically. The Hajj list is issued separately each season and is normally the same or stricter. Certificates are checked at the airport of departure and on arrival.
| Requirement | What applies to travellers from Egypt |
|---|---|
| Meningococcal (ACYW) vaccine | Required for every pilgrim from every country: conjugate vaccine within 5 years, or polysaccharide within 3 years, given at least 10 days before arrival. |
| Polio | Recommended, not required: the Ministry advises one dose of IPV (or a type 2 containing OPV) for travellers from Egypt. |
| Yellow fever | Not required for travellers arriving from Egypt. It applies only if you arrive from a listed yellow fever country. |
| COVID-19 | Required only for higher-risk groups (over 65, pregnant, chronic heart, lung or kidney disease, blood disorders, immunodeficiency, cancer, chronic neurological disease): an updated 2025-2026 dose, a completed 2021-2024 primary series, or confirmed infection in 2025. |
| Recommended | Seasonal influenza vaccine; routine immunisations up to date; carry medication in original packaging with a doctor's note. |
Source: Saudi Ministry of Health, Health Requirements for Travelers to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, 1447H. The 1448 H edition may move countries between lists; check the MoH page before you vaccinate.
Saudi embassy and consulates in Egypt
The Saudi Embassy in Egypt is in Cairo, with consular posts in Alexandria (Consulate-General) and Suez (Consulate-General). Umrah visas are filed electronically by your licensed operator, so most pilgrims never visit. The embassy matters for document attestation, family-visit visas and problems with an application. Opening hours and services are on each mission's page at mofa.gov.sa.
Flying to Jeddah or Madinah from Egypt
Saudia lists scheduled passenger flights from Cairo, Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh, plus seasonal or pilgrimage-season flights from El Alamein and Hurghada. Jeddah (King Abdulaziz International) is the gateway for Makkah; Madinah (Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International) suits pilgrims starting in Madinah. Gulf carriers, flynas, flyadeal and national airlines also serve these markets, often at lower fares with one stop.
Route list compiled from Saudia's published destinations on 2026-09-19; schedules change by season.
Mistakes Egyptians make most often
- Trusting a website that promises Egyptians a self-service Umrah eVisa. Egypt is not on the eVisa list; only a licensed operator can file your Umrah visa.
- Applying for the visa months early. Entry must happen within 30 days of issue; a visa that expires unused is not refunded.
- Booking a hotel outside Nusuk. A hotel that is not on Nusuk does not satisfy the visa requirement even if it is a real hotel.
- Arriving without an Umrah permit in the app during Ramadan or the last ten nights, when the Grand Mosque is permit-controlled.
- Paying an agent in cash with no contract. If the visa is refused you have no record and no recourse.
Hajj for Egyptians: National Hajj mission or quota body
Egypt allocates its quota through three separate systems and you may enter only one each season. For 2026 the Interior Ministry accepted applications from 12 to 28 October, the Social Solidarity lottery selected 12,000 pilgrims, and the Tourism Ministry offered graded packages, from economic categories to tented and five-star tower programmes, through licensed companies. Prices are published each season in Egyptian pounds; check the current year's figures before budgeting.
How Egyptians register for Hajj
- Register with Three national channels: the Ministry of Interior lottery during its announced window; most countries open registration many months before Hajj and some run multi-year queues.
- If applications exceed the quota, wait for the lottery or queue result; keep your registration current each year if the system requires renewal.
- Choose between the government package and a licensed private operator's package where both exist, and pay only through the channels the authority names.
- Complete the medical examination and vaccinations in time for the visa file; the national mission submits your details to the Saudi Ministry and receives your visa and Nusuk card.
- Attend the pre-departure training and travel with your group on the scheduled flights.
Read the full Umrah visa and Nusuk guide.
Rules that apply to every nationality this season
- Umrah visa entry window. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cut the window to enter the Kingdom to 30 days from issue in late 2025; the stay after arrival can still be up to 90 days. The Ministry's own FAQ has shown older values, so read the dates printed on your visa.
- No booking, no visa. An Umrah visa is issued only against a Nusuk hotel and transport booking made by you or your operator.
- Umrah on other visas. The Ministry allows Umrah on tourist, personal-visit, family-visit, business and transit visas outside the Hajj season, with the same Nusuk permit.
- Multiple-entry Umrah visa. On 20 July 2026 the Ministry launched a 365-day multiple-entry Umrah visa with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days; each visit needs a Nusuk service package and a permit, and it is not valid during the Hajj season.
- Permits. Umrah permits and Rawdah permits are issued only in the Nusuk app.
- Hajj. No Hajj on an Umrah or tourist visa. Hajj visas come only through Nusuk Hajj (for serviced countries) or your national Hajj mission.
Verified 2026-09-19 against the Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Nusuk Hajj serviced-countries list. Rules change between seasons: confirm on nusuk.sa, visa.visitsaudi.com or your nearest Saudi embassy before you pay.
Questions pilgrims ask
Can Egyptians perform Umrah on a tourist visa?
Only if they qualify for the tourist eVisa another way, for example by holding a used US, UK or Schengen visa. Otherwise Egyptians need an Umrah visa filed by a licensed operator with a Nusuk booking.
How early should Egyptians apply?
Fix your travel dates first. Since late 2025 an Umrah visa must be used to enter within 30 days of issue, so apply about three to five weeks before departure, after your Nusuk hotel and transport are booked and your meningococcal vaccine is at least 10 days old.
Which vaccines do Egyptians need for Umrah?
Meningococcal ACYW. See the health table on this page for the exact 1447 H rule for Egypt.
Can Egyptians book Hajj on Nusuk directly?
No. Egypt is not on the Nusuk direct list; Hajj goes through Three national channels: the Ministry of Interior lottery, the Ministry of Social Solidarity lottery, and Ministry of Tourism packages sold by licensed tourism companies.
Is there a nonstop flight from Egypt to Jeddah?
Saudia lists nonstop service from Cairo, Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh; other carriers add more options.
Sources
- https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/555033.aspx
- https://sis.gov.eg/en/media-center/news/social-solidarity-minister-announces-results-of-hajj-lottery/
- https://www.middleeastbriefing.com/news/saudi-arabia-and-egypt-sign-visa-exemption-agreement/
- https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/HealthAwareness/Pilgrims-Health/Documents/Health-Regulations-Umrah-EN.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saudia_destinations
- https://saudi-arabia-evisa.org/all-eligible-country-for-saudi-arabia-visa/
- https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2583281
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/hajj-quota-by-country
- https://thehajj.guide/news/hajj-2026-quotas-by-country-who-sends-the-most-pilgrims-92d2dd
- https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2637600
- https://hajj.nusuk.sa/ServicedCountries
- https://haj.gov.sa/en/FAQ
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Saudi_Arabia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_of_Saudi_Arabia
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