New Umrah rules 2026-27 A dated change log
- Last updated:
- Written by:
- Hajra Fatima
- Reading time:
- 10 minutes
Short answer
The main changes for the 1448 season are a fixed calendar (last visa 09/03/2027, last entry 23/03/2027, last departure 07/04/2027), a one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa with a 90-day total stay, a 30-day window to enter after your visa is issued, and a Nusuk package and permit for every visit. Travellers from Karachi also need NADRA-linked vaccine records.
On this page
Umrah rules changed several times in 2025 and 2026, and many articles online describe a rule that has since moved. This page is a log. Each entry has a date, what changed, who it affects and where we found it. New entries go at the top and old ones stay, so you can see how a rule got to where it is. Where we only found a press report and not the ministry's own text, the table says so. Check Nusuk before you rely on those.
For which visa suits you, start with our Umrah visa types guide. For the season's dates month by month, see the Umrah calendar 1448.
The change log
Newest first.
| Date | Change | Who it affects | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22/10/2026 | Canada's travel advice for Saudi Arabia updated: avoid non-essential travel, with advisories against all travel to the airports in Riyadh and Dammam, Asir, Jazan, Najran and within 30 km of the Yemen border | Canadian travellers | travel.gc.ca |
| 21/10/2026 | UK travel advice updated (information on King Khalid Airport): still against all but essential travel to most of Saudi Arabia | UK travellers | gov.uk |
| 21/10/2026 | US orders non-emergency embassy staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other infrastructure | US travellers | The Star, reporting AFP |
| 16/10/2026 | Peshawar airport lets Umrah travellers fly without the NADRA-linked vaccination record until 10am on 25/10/2026. We found no later notice | Travellers from Peshawar | Pakistan Observer |
| 12/10/2026 | US travel advisory for Saudi Arabia at Level 3, "Reconsider Travel" | US travellers | travel.state.gov, as reported by the press |
| 10/10/2026 | Karachi airport exemption ends, so NADRA-linked vaccination records are checked for Umrah travellers | Travellers from Karachi | The Express Tribune |
| September 2026 | Border Health Services says only NADRA-integrated vaccination proof will be accepted for Hajj and Umrah. Karachi's start date moved from 14/09 to 25/09 and then to 10/10/2026 | Travellers from Pakistan | Arab News Pakistan, ARY News, Daily Pakistan |
| 20/07/2026 | One-year multiple-entry Umrah visa announced: 365 days, 90 days' total stay, a Nusuk package and permit for each visit, not active in the Hajj season | Visitors planning more than one trip | Gulf News and The National, citing SPA |
| 01/06/2026 | Makkah entry and Umrah permits on Nusuk open for 1448 | Everyone | haj.gov.sa |
| 31/05/2026 | Umrah visa issuing and entry to the Kingdom open for 1448 | Everyone | haj.gov.sa |
| 17/05/2026 | 1448 season calendar announced, with the last visa, entry and departure dates | Everyone | haj.gov.sa |
| 13/05/2026 | Digital contracting for the 1448 Umrah season opens on the Masar Nusuk platform for qualifying overseas agents, and Saudi Umrah companies can contract hotels, transport, catering and package design electronically | Agents and companies; your package is built here | APP, citing the Saudi Press Agency |
| 18/04/2026 | End of the 1447 season: last departure for Umrah visa holders on 18/04/2026; Umrah permits paused until 31/05/2026 | Everyone | Khaleej Times |
| 13/04/2026 | Entry to Makkah needs a permit during the Hajj period. Listed groups, such as holders of a Makkah residency permit or a Hajj permit, can enter with their permit | Residents and visitors in Saudi Arabia | Khaleej Times, citing the Ministry of Interior |
| 01/02/2026 | Ministry suspends contracts with 1,800 of about 5,800 overseas Umrah agencies. Only new visas are affected; existing visas and bookings continue | Customers of those agencies | haj.gov.sa |
| 31/10/2025 | Umrah visa entry window cut from three months to one month after issue; the visa is cancelled if you don't enter within 30 days. The stay after arrival stays at up to three months | Everyone with an Umrah visa | Aaj News, reporting the ministry |
What the main changes mean for you
The 1448 calendar
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah published the 1448 calendar on 17/05/2026. Its page was last updated on 19/10/2026 and the dates below are unchanged.
| Milestone | Hijri date | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Visa issuing and entry begin | 14 Dhul-Hijjah 1447 | 31/05/2026 |
| Makkah entry and Nusuk permits open | 15 Dhul-Hijjah 1447 | 01/06/2026 |
| Last Umrah visa issued | 1 Shawwal 1448 | 09/03/2027 |
| Last entry into the Kingdom | 15 Shawwal 1448 | 23/03/2027 |
| Last departure | 30 Shawwal 1448 | 07/04/2027 |
The ministry told Umrah companies and overseas agents to keep to these dates strictly. In practice a trip on an Umrah visa has to end by 07/04/2027, whatever stay your visa shows. Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin around 08/02/2027, depending on the moon, so Eid al-Fitr falls close to the last visa date. If you want the last ten nights of Ramadan, get your visa well before then.
The one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa
Announced on 20/07/2026 and reported by Gulf News and The National, citing the Saudi Press Agency:
- The visa is valid for 365 days from issue and allows multiple entries, subject to meeting the regulatory requirements.
- Your total stay across all visits is capped at 90 days.
- For each visit you buy a service package from an approved provider on Nusuk. The package can't run longer than the days left on the visa.
- You need an Umrah permit on the Nusuk app before you arrive.
- The visa is deactivated when you leave and reactivated when you meet the conditions for your next visit.
- It can't be activated from 1 Dhul-Qa'dah to 13 Dhul-Hijjah.
Neither report gives a fee or an eligibility list, and we found none on 27/10/2026. Our one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa guide works through how the 90 days add up.
A package and a permit for every visit
The ministry now builds the Umrah trip on its electronic platform. Saudi Umrah companies contract hotels, transport and other services there and design the service packages, which is why an agent books your hotel and transport through Nusuk before your visa is issued. On arrival you still need a Nusuk permit for the time you perform Umrah. The ministry's FAQ says permits are issued through the app, only one can be active at a time, and a permit is cancelled automatically if you can't enter the Kingdom by its start time. Our Nusuk app guide shows how to book.
The shorter entry window
From the week after 31/10/2025, an Umrah visa has to be used within 30 days of issue, according to the ministry's announcement as reported by Aaj News. If you don't enter in that time, it is cancelled automatically. Plan your flights first and apply after, so the visa isn't issued too early.
How long you can stay
Two sources on this page disagree. The ministry's FAQ at haj.gov.sa says the stay for Umrah visa holders is 90 days, and elsewhere on the same page gives a different, shorter answer. Aaj News, reporting the ministry in October 2025, says pilgrims can stay up to three months after entering. Whatever your visa shows, you must also leave by the season's last departure date, 07/04/2027. Confirm your own permitted stay with your agent and on Nusuk before you book your return flight.
Agencies suspended in February 2026
The ministry suspended contracts with 1,800 of about 5,800 overseas agencies on 01/02/2026 and gave them 10 days to correct their status. It said pilgrims with valid visas or existing bookings were not affected. The suspension only stopped those agencies issuing new visas. It is a reminder to check who your agent works with. Our guide to Umrah scams in Pakistan lists the checks.
Changes from Pakistan
Pakistan added its own airport check this season. Border Health Services, under the federal health ministry, said in September 2026 that only vaccination records linked to NADRA would be accepted for Hajj and Umrah travellers. The start date for Karachi slipped twice, from 14/09/2026 to 25/09/2026 and then to 10/10/2026, when the exemption ended. Peshawar allowed travel without the record until 10am on 25/10/2026. On 27/10/2026 we found no confirmed start date for Islamabad or Lahore, and one report says the rollout there follows Karachi without a date. Because dates have moved so often, ask your airline or agent which record your departure airport wants. Our step-by-step NIMS NADRA vaccination certificate guide has the details.
Saudi Arabia's own vaccine rules are in the Saudi Ministry of Health's Umrah health requirements document. The version we found covers 1447H (2026) and we found none for 1448H, so check the Ministry of Health site for the current one. That document requires meningococcal vaccination (ACYW) for every Umrah traveller, given at least 10 days before arrival, and at least one polio dose for travellers arriving from Pakistan.
Travel advice for UK, US and Canadian travellers
Government travel advice for Saudi Arabia changed repeatedly in October 2026. It is not an Umrah rule, but it affects your insurance and your plans.
- UK: the FCDO advises against all travel within 10km of the Yemen border and against all but essential travel to the rest of Saudi Arabia (updated 21/10/2026, still current on 27/10/2026). It warns that your insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice.
- Canada: "Avoid non-essential travel", with advisories against all travel to the airports in Riyadh and Dammam, to Asir, Jazan and Najran, and to within 30 km of the Yemen border (updated 22/10/2026).
- USA: Level 3, "Reconsider Travel", issued 12/10/2026, according to press reports. The US also ordered non-emergency embassy staff to leave on 21/10/2026.
Before you book, read your own government's latest advice and make sure your travel insurance covers your trip. Our US and Canada travel advice guide goes through each one.
What has not changed
- Umrah permits and Rawdah visits are booked on Nusuk.
- The ministry's page on all visa types says holders of other visas, such as the tourist eVisa, can also perform Umrah. That page dates from 2022 and spells out conditions for some visa holders, so read it, and check Nusuk, before you rely on it. Our visa guide for UK, US and Canada residents covers that route.
- Hajj needs a Hajj visa. An Umrah visa can't be used for it.
What to watch for next
None of these has been announced as of 27/10/2026. We will add them to the log when they are:
- The rules for the end of the 1448 season, around Hajj 1448, including any Makkah entry permits and any pause in Umrah permits.
- The 1449 season calendar.
- Start dates for the NADRA vaccine check at Islamabad and Lahore.
How Maqam e Haram helps
We follow these changes for the families we look after. When a rule moves we tell our travellers before it affects them, plan flights and visa timing around the 30-day entry window and the season's last dates, and book the hotels and transport that go into the Nusuk package. Ask us about permits and timings once you arrive.
We don't issue visas and can't promise one. The Saudi authorities decide. We make the hotel and transport bookings the application needs and help you through it. See visa information.
If you aren't sure how a change affects your dates, message us on WhatsApp or call +92 309 9022120.
Questions and answers
What are the new Umrah rules for 2026?
The 1448 season runs from 31/05/2026 to 07/04/2027. A one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa was announced on 20/07/2026, and every visit needs a Nusuk package and permit.
When is the last date to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 1448?
23/03/2027. The last visa is issued on 09/03/2027 and the last departure is 07/04/2027.
How long is an Umrah visa valid before I travel?
You must enter within 30 days of issue, according to the ministry's October 2025 announcement as reported by Aaj News. Otherwise the visa is cancelled.
How long can I stay on an Umrah visa?
The ministry's FAQ gives 90 days in one answer and a different, shorter figure in another, and Aaj News reports up to three months. You must also leave by 07/04/2027. Confirm your own stay on Nusuk.
What is the one-year Umrah visa?
A multiple-entry visa valid for 365 days, with a total stay of 90 days across all visits. Each visit needs a Nusuk package and permit.
Can I use the one-year visa during Hajj?
No. It can't be activated from 1 Dhul-Qa'dah to 13 Dhul-Hijjah.
Did Saudi vaccine rules change for 2026?
We found no change. The Ministry of Health document we found covers 1447H and requires the meningococcal (ACYW) vaccine for all Umrah travellers and polio for travellers from Pakistan. Check for a 1448H version.
Do I need a NADRA vaccination certificate?
From Karachi, yes, since 10/10/2026. Peshawar allowed travel without it until 25/10/2026. We found no date for Islamabad or Lahore on 27/10/2026, so ask your airline.
Do I still need a Nusuk permit for Umrah?
Yes. Book your Umrah permit on the Nusuk app for the time you plan to perform it.
How often is this page updated?
We check it at least monthly and whenever the ministry announces a change. The date at the top shows the last check.
Related pages
Sources
The official pages and references we used, with the date we checked them.
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH (opens in a new tab) (published 17/05/2026, page updated 19/10/2026)
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, contracts with 1,800 overseas agencies suspended (opens in a new tab) (01/02/2026)
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, FAQ (opens in a new tab) (Umrah visa stay; permits on Nusuk; the page gives two different answers on stay)
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah for holders of all types of visas (opens in a new tab) (published 07/12/2022)
- Gulf News, one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa, citing SPA (opens in a new tab) (20/07/2026)
- The National, one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa (opens in a new tab) (20/07/2026)
- Aaj News, Umrah visa entry validity cut to one month (opens in a new tab) (31/10/2025)
- APP, digital contracting system for the Umrah 1448 season (opens in a new tab) (13/05/2026)
- Khaleej Times, Hajj 2026 Makkah entry and Umrah permit pause (opens in a new tab) (13/04/2026)
- Arab News Pakistan, NADRA-integrated vaccination proof (opens in a new tab) (Border Health Services, September 2026)
- Daily Pakistan, deadline pushed to 25/09/2026 (opens in a new tab) (14/09/2026)
- Wego, NADRA vaccination certificate 2026 (opens in a new tab) (updated 15/09/2026; rollout to Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore without dates)
- The Express Tribune, Karachi Umrah vaccine exemption ends (opens in a new tab) (11/10/2026)
- Pakistan Observer, Peshawar exemption until 25/10/2026 (opens in a new tab) (16/10/2026)
- Saudi Ministry of Health, Umrah health requirements (opens in a new tab) (1447H, 2026 edition; no 1448H edition found)
- Makkah Live, Umm al-Qura dates for 1448 (opens in a new tab)
- UK FCDO travel advice for Saudi Arabia (opens in a new tab) (updated 21/10/2026, still current 27/10/2026)
- Government of Canada travel advice for Saudi Arabia (opens in a new tab) (updated 22/10/2026)
- The Star (AFP), US orders embassy staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia (opens in a new tab) (22/10/2026)
- The Traveler, US advisory for Saudi Arabia at Level 3 (opens in a new tab)