Umrah visa from Russia: eVisa steps for Russians
Russians can apply for a Saudi tourist eVisa themselves and perform Umrah on it, with Nusuk bookings and a permit. Routes, steps, health documents, embassy and flights for the 1448 AH season (31 May 2026 to 7 April 2027).
Can Russians get an Umrah visa online?
Yes. Since 11 May 2026 Russian citizens can enter Saudi Arabia visa-free for tourism stays of up to 90 days, but the agreement excludes religious pilgrimage: Hajj needs a Hajj visa issued through the national mission, and for Umrah you should still hold an Umrah or tourist eVisa (Russia is on the eVisa list) with Nusuk bookings and permits in place. Saudia flies nonstop from Moscow.
Step by step for Russians
- Check your passport has at least six months' validity and a blank page.
- Apply for the tourist eVisa on the official portal (visa.visitsaudi.com) or start in Nusuk. Pay the visa fee and the compulsory insurance online; you never need to visit the embassy. Fees change, so read the amount on the portal before you pay anyone else.
- Book a Nusuk-listed hotel in Makkah or Madinah and your ground transport in Nusuk, or through an operator who books them for you. Since late 2025 an Umrah visa is not issued without these bookings on file.
- Get the meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before you fly and keep the certificate with your passport.
- Book your Umrah permit and, if going to Madinah, a Rawdah slot in the Nusuk app before you land.
- Fly to Jeddah or Madinah; the tourist eVisa is multiple entry and allows Umrah outside the Hajj season.
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visa fee and the compulsory insurance are set by the Saudi government and shown on the portal at the time you apply; we do not quote them here because they change.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 Russia 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 Russia
These are the Saudi Ministry of Health requirements for Umrah travellers in the 1447 H (2026) edition, read for Russia 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 Russia |
|---|---|
| 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 Russia in the 1447 H list. Keep routine immunisation up to date. |
| Yellow fever | Not required for travellers arriving from Russia. 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 Russia
The Saudi Embassy in Russia is in Moscow. 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 Russia
Saudia lists scheduled passenger flights from Moscow. 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 Russians make most often
- Paying a middleman for a tourist eVisa that Russians can get themselves on the official portal for the published fee.
- 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 Russians: National Hajj mission or quota body
Russia's quota for 2026 stayed at 25,000 under an agreement signed with Saudi Arabia, allocated across the Muslim-majority regions through their muftiates and approved tour operators. Russia is not on the Nusuk direct list.
How Russians register for Hajj
- Register with Hajj Mission of Russia 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 Russians perform Umrah on a tourist visa?
Yes. Russia is on the Saudi eVisa list, the eVisa is multiple entry, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah allows Umrah on tourist visas outside the Hajj season, with a Nusuk permit.
How early should Russians 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 Russians need for Umrah?
Meningococcal ACYW. See the health table on this page for the exact 1447 H rule for Russia.
Can Russians book Hajj on Nusuk directly?
No. Russia is not on the Nusuk direct list; Hajj goes through Hajj Mission of Russia, coordinated by the Council of Muftis of Russia and regional muftiates.
Is there a nonstop flight from Russia to Jeddah?
Saudia lists nonstop service from Moscow; other carriers add more options.
Sources
- https://www.fragomen.com/insights/russiasaudi-arabia-mutual-visa-free-entry-forthcoming.html
- https://www.muslim.ru/en/articles/138/45112/
- https://www.muslimnetwork.tv/saudi-arabia-allocates-25000-hajj-slots-for-russian-muslims-in-2026/
- 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.legit.ng/people/1718785-saudi-arabia-releases-official-list-40-european-countries-eligible-evisa-2026/
- https://www.legit.ng/people/1718764-saudi-arabia-publishes-13-asian-countries-eligible-for-evisa-in-2026/
- https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2583281
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/hajj-quota-by-country
- 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 Russian 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.