Umrah visa from India: requirements and how to apply
Indians 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 Indians get an Umrah visa online?
Not on their own. India is not on the Saudi eVisa list and Indian nationals cannot apply for a standalone Umrah visa on Nusuk themselves. The route is an Umrah operator that is authorised on Nusuk (Nusuk Masar), which files the visa together with a Nusuk hotel and transport booking. Two exceptions let some Indians self-apply for the tourist eVisa: holding a valid US, UK or Schengen visa that has been used at least once, or permanent residence in the US, UK or EU. The tourist eVisa allows Umrah outside the Hajj season.
Step by step for Indians
- Choose an operator in India 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visa fee and the compulsory insurance are set by the Saudi government and shown on the portal at the time you apply; we do not quote them here because they change.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 India 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 India
These are the Saudi Ministry of Health requirements for Umrah travellers in the 1447 H (2026) edition, read for India 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 India |
|---|---|
| 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 | Not required for travellers from India in the 1447 H list. Keep routine immunisation up to date. |
| Yellow fever | Not required for travellers arriving from India. 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 India
The Saudi Embassy in India is in New Delhi, with a consular post in Mumbai (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 India
Saudia flies nonstop from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Lucknow, with seasonal Ahmedabad and Kolkata flights; Indian carriers and Gulf airlines add many more options.
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 Indians make most often
- Trusting a website that promises Indians a self-service Umrah eVisa. India 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 Indians: National Hajj mission or quota body
India's Haj Policy 2027 opened applications on 22 June 2026 through the Haj Committee portal and the Haj Suvidha app, with a 20 July 2026 deadline. The national quota is 1,75,025 and is split roughly 70:30 between the Haj Committee and private HGOs (about 52,507 HGO seats). Selection is by lottery when applications exceed the quota. Apply only through the portal, the app or a Ministry-listed HGO.
How Indians register for Hajj
- Register with Haj Committee of India 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 Indians 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 Indians need an Umrah visa filed by a licensed operator with a Nusuk booking.
How early should Indians 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 Indians need for Umrah?
Meningococcal ACYW. See the health table on this page for the exact 1447 H rule for India.
Can Indians book Hajj on Nusuk directly?
No. India is not on the Nusuk direct list; Hajj goes through Haj Committee of India (Ministry of Minority Affairs), plus Ministry-approved Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) for the private quota.
Is there a nonstop flight from India to Jeddah?
Saudia lists nonstop service from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Lucknow; other carriers add more options.
Sources
- https://blog.wego.com/india-umrah-visa/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Saudi_Arabia
- https://hajcommittee.gov.in/
- https://ddnews.gov.in/en/haj-policy-2027-announced-applications-open-through-haj-committee-portal-and-app/
- https://ummid.com/news/2026/6/22/hajj-2027-registration-starts-apply-now.html
- 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://www.moh.gov.sa/en/HealthAwareness/Pilgrims-Health/Documents/Health-Regulations-Umrah-EN.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_of_Saudi_Arabia
Get Umrah quotes as a Indian passport holder
Tell us your dates and departure city. We pass your request to independent operators who can quote a Nusuk-booked package, and you compare. No cost, no obligation.