Umrah for Qataris: no visa needed, Nusuk permit only
Qataris enter Saudi Arabia on their national ID and need only a Nusuk permit. Routes, steps, health documents, embassy and flights for the 1448 AH season (31 May 2026 to 7 April 2027).
Can Qataris get an Umrah visa online?
No visa is needed. Qatari citizens, like other GCC nationals, enter Saudi Arabia with their national ID and need no Umrah visa; an Umrah permit from the Nusuk app is still needed for the Grand Mosque in busy periods. Saudia flies nonstop from Doha and the Salwa land crossing is open.
Step by step for Qataris
- Enter with your national ID or passport; GCC citizens need no visa for Saudi Arabia.
- Register on the Nusuk app before you travel and book your Umrah permit for the day you plan to enter the Grand Mosque; permits are limited in Ramadan and school holidays.
- Book Rawdah (Madinah) separately in the app; slots open a few weeks ahead.
- Carry your meningococcal vaccination record if asked at the border; the Ministry of Health requires it of every Umrah traveller.
- Hajj is different: Qataris must go through their national Hajj registration, not Nusuk direct. See the Hajj section below.
Vaccines and health documents for Umrah from Qatar
These are the Saudi Ministry of Health requirements for Umrah travellers in the 1447 H (2026) edition, read for Qatar 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 Qatar |
|---|---|
| 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 Qatar in the 1447 H list. Keep routine immunisation up to date. |
| Yellow fever | Not required for travellers arriving from Qatar. 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 Qatar
The Saudi Embassy in Qatar is in Doha. You do not need to visit them for a tourist eVisa or an Umrah visa: both are issued online. The embassy matters for passport problems, document attestation, and visa categories that are not electronic. Opening hours and services are on each mission's page at mofa.gov.sa.
Flying to Jeddah or Madinah from Qatar
Saudia lists scheduled passenger flights from Doha. 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 Qataris make most often
- 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 Qataris: National system for GCC citizens
Registration for Hajj 2026 ran from 1 to 31 October 2025 on hajj.gov.qa, and the Ministry approved 27 licensed Hajj campaigns for the season. Book only with a campaign on the Ministry's list.
How Qataris register for Hajj
- Register with Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in its annual window; places are allocated against the national quota, often by lottery or age priority.
- Choose a licensed Hajj campaign from the authority's approved list and pay it directly.
- Complete the medical checks and vaccinations the authority asks for; the campaign handles your Nusuk registration and permits.
- Travel with the campaign on its scheduled departures; independent Hajj travel is not permitted.
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 Qataris perform Umrah on a tourist visa?
Qataris do not need a visa at all; they enter with a national ID and book the Umrah permit in Nusuk.
How early should Qataris 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 Qataris need for Umrah?
Meningococcal ACYW. See the health table on this page for the exact 1447 H rule for Qatar.
Can Qataris book Hajj on Nusuk directly?
No. Qatar is not on the Nusuk direct list; Hajj goes through Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Qatar), hajj.gov.qa.
Is there a nonstop flight from Qatar to Jeddah?
Saudia lists nonstop service from Doha; other carriers add more options.
Sources
- https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/22/09/2025/applications-for-hajj-2026-to-open-on-oct-1
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Saudi_Arabia
- 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
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