The short answer
Can you perform Umrah on a tourist visa?
Yes. Umrah on a tourist visa is allowed: the Saudi eVisa portal says the tourist visa covers tourism-related activities including Umrah, excluding Hajj, and its terms state that the eVisa is granted for tourism or for performing Umrah. Since October 2025 the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has said that holders of all visa types — tourist, visit, transit and work — can perform Umrah.
There are two conditions, and they apply to every visa except the Hajj visa:
- You book an Umrah permit for a date and time in the Nusuk app, as every pilgrim must
- You go outside the Hajj period: tourist and visit visa holders may not enter or stay in Makkah from 1 Dhu al-Qa’dah until Hajj is over
Can Pakistanis get a Saudi tourist visa?
For most Pakistanis the question is not whether Umrah is allowed on a tourist visa, but whether they can get one. Not on a Pakistani passport alone: Pakistan is not on the list of countries whose citizens can apply for the eVisa.
Two cautions before you rely on it. In 2025 Saudi Arabia limited Pakistanis and nationals of 13 other countries to single-entry visit visas for a period, and paused new short-term visas in the weeks before Hajj, so check what your visa actually says. And a tourist visa leaves every arrangement to you: hotels, transport between the cities and Nusuk permits.
If one of the following applies to you, you can apply online, and in many cases get the visa on arrival; if none does, the tourist visa is not your route:
- A valid US, UK or Schengen tourist or business visa that you have already used to enter that country
- Permanent residence in the US, the UK or an EU country
- A residence permit from a Gulf country, with at least three months left on it
Other routes: Umrah visa, family visit and stopover
Umrah visa. The standard route for anyone on a Pakistani passport. It is issued with a package through an operator attested by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, working with a licensed Saudi company, which applies for it. It must be used within 30 days of issue and only within the Umrah season. Our Umrah visa guide covers the process.
Family and friends visit visa. If a relative or friend lives in Saudi Arabia on a residence permit (iqama) or is a Saudi citizen, they can request a visit visa for you through KSA Visa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ platform, and you complete biometrics at a visa centre in Pakistan. Umrah on a visit visa is allowed outside the Hajj period with a Nusuk permit. Our Saudi visit visa guide explains the application.
Stopover visa. Passengers flying Saudia or flynas through a Saudi airport to a third country can add a stopover visa of up to 96 hours when they book, and it has been open to most nationalities, including Pakistanis. Umrah is allowed with a Nusuk permit. It suits someone already flying to Europe, North America or Africa via Saudi Arabia, but four days is tight.
In July 2026 Saudi Arabia also launched a one-year, multiple-entry Umrah visa sold with packages on Nusuk. Nusuk offers direct packages only to nationalities it opens individual Umrah to, and whether that includes Pakistan was not confirmed when we checked.
Umrah on a visit visa, tourist visa or Umrah visa: the routes compared
Every route below lets you perform Umrah outside the Hajj period. Only one lets you perform Hajj.
| Route | Who can get it | Umrah allowed | Hajj allowed | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umrah visa through a licensed operator | Any Pakistani passport holder buying a package | Yes, within the Umrah season | No | Tied to a package; must be used within 30 days of issue |
| Tourist eVisa | Pakistanis with a used US, UK or Schengen visa, US, UK or EU permanent residence, or Gulf residence | Yes, outside the Hajj period, with a Nusuk permit | No | Most Pakistanis don’t qualify; you arrange everything yourself |
| Family and friends visit visa | Relatives or friends of a Saudi citizen or resident who requests the visa | Yes, outside the Hajj period, with a Nusuk permit | No | Depends on your host; biometrics in Pakistan |
| Stopover visa | Passengers flying Saudia or flynas via Saudi Arabia to another country | Yes, with a Nusuk permit | No | Up to 96 hours, and only on a through ticket |
| Hajj visa | Pilgrims booked through Pakistan’s Government or Private Hajj Scheme | Yes | Yes — the only way | The quota fills months ahead |
Why Hajj is never allowed on these visas
Hajj needs a Hajj visa and permit, issued within your country’s quota — for Pakistanis, through the Government or Private Hajj Scheme. Saudi Arabia enforces it: Makkah closes to tourist and visit visa holders from 1 Dhu al-Qa’dah, about 8 April 2027, until after Hajj; Nusuk stops issuing them Umrah permits; and pilgrims’ Nusuk cards are checked on the way to the holy sites. In 2026 Saudi Arabia announced fines, deportation and re-entry bans for anyone caught attempting Hajj without a permit, and heavier penalties for those who transport or house them.
Anyone selling “Hajj on a visit visa” is selling an offence that will be committed in your name. Our guide to the Hajj private scheme explains the legal route and how to check a company.
Insurance and vaccinations for Umrah
Medical insurance is built into Saudi visas: the Umrah visa includes a compulsory policy covering medical emergencies, accidents and repatriation, and the tourist and visit visas include health insurance bought with the application. Don’t assume they cover cancellations, missed flights or lost luggage — read the policy that comes with your visa, and use separate travel insurance for whatever it leaves out.
The vaccination rules apply to anyone performing Umrah, whatever the visa. Under the Saudi Ministry of Health’s Umrah requirements, the 1447 edition still being the latest published when we checked:
- Meningitis (ACYW): every pilgrim, at least 10 days before arrival; a conjugate dose counts for five years, a polysaccharide dose for three
- Polio: everyone arriving from Pakistan, whatever their age; at least one dose at least four weeks before arrival — within the previous 12 months for the injection, and Saudi guidance prefers within six months for oral drops
- COVID-19: pilgrims over 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions
Can women travel for Umrah without a mahram?
Under Saudi rules, yes. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says a woman may come for Umrah without a mahram, and it states no age condition. The tourist eVisa makes no distinction either, though applications for under-18s are made by a parent or guardian.
Whether to travel that way is a religious question on which scholars differ, and a decision for you and your family. If you do, an organised group or a women’s group is easier on the ground; tell your operator and hotel in advance.
When does the tourist visa route make sense?
If you already hold a qualifying visa or residence, the tourist eVisa is flexible. You choose your own hotels and dates, you can combine Umrah with visiting family or travelling around the country, and it is normally a one-year, multiple-entry visa, though Pakistanis have at times been issued single-entry visas instead. That suits Pakistanis living in the Gulf, the UK or Europe, and frequent travellers with a US or UK visa.
For a first Umrah, elderly parents or a family group, a package on an Umrah visa is usually simpler: the operator handles hotels, transport and the visa, and someone is responsible on the ground when something goes wrong. The right visa is the one you qualify for that also matches how you want to travel.
Frequently asked questions
This is general guidance
