Umrah visa validity The entry window, the length of stay and the season end date
- Last updated:
- Written by:
- Hajra Fatima
- Reading time:
- 7 minutes
Short answer
Press reports from 31/10/2025 say the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cut the entry window so an Umrah visa is cancelled if you do not enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of issue. After you arrive you may stay up to 90 days. For 1448 the season also ends: last entry 23/03/2027, last departure 07/04/2027. The ministry's own FAQ page still says "three months" for entry, so confirm your dates with the company that issues your visa.
On this page
"Umrah visa 30 days" and "Umrah visa 90 days" can both be right. They describe two different clocks, and the official FAQ page adds a third. This page separates them, shows each with its source and date, and ends with worked examples for 1448.
The three clocks
| Clock | What it measures | Current figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry window | Time from issue to entering Saudi Arabia | 30 days, or the visa is cancelled (press reports; the ministry FAQ still says three months) | Gulf News and Aaj News, 31/10/2025, reporting the ministry |
| Length of stay | Time in the Kingdom after you enter | 90 days, and the system cannot extend it past 90 | Ministry FAQ |
| Season | Dates set by the ministry for the whole Umrah season | Last visa issue 09/03/2027, last entry 23/03/2027, last departure 07/04/2027 | Season calendar for 1448 (page updated 19/10/2026) |
Your trip has to fit all three, and the tightest one decides.
The entry window: 30 days from issue
Gulf News and Aaj News both reported on 31/10/2025 that the ministry cut the validity of the entry visa from three months to one month from the date of issue. The visa is cancelled automatically 30 days after issue if the pilgrim has not entered the Kingdom by then. The reports said the stay allowed after arrival did not change. Neither report gave an exact start date. They said the change would take effect "next week".
We could not find the ministry's own announcement of this change, and its FAQ page still carries the older three-month figure. That makes the press reports the best evidence we have, from a season (1447) that has now ended. We found no 1448 notice repeating or changing the 30 days. Ask the company issuing your visa what applies to your visa.
Practical rule: book your flights first, then ask the company to issue the visa, so the 30 days start close to your travel date. If your company issues the visa weeks early and your flight is later, it may lapse. Our new Umrah rules log tracks the dated announcements.
Length of stay: 90 days
The ministry's FAQ says the duration of stay for arrivals with Umrah visas is 90 days, and that the system does not allow extending an Umrah visa beyond 90 days or into the Hajj season. It says departure must be according to the programme you applied through, or before the 90 days end. The 2025 press reports describe the stay as three months. Fines for overstaying are decided elsewhere, and the FAQ says they do not fall within the ministry's jurisdiction.
The FAQ also says you can obtain an Umrah visa more than once in a year. For several trips in one year there is also the one-year multiple-entry visa, which Gulf News (updated 16/08/2026) says was introduced in July. It is valid for 365 days, with 90 days in total across the year, and needs a new Nusuk service package and permit for each visit. See one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa.
Why the ministry's page seems to contradict itself
On 27/10/2026 the ministry's FAQ page gave these answers side by side:
- Entry must be within three months of issue. Press reports say this was shortened to one month in 2025.
- The stay in the Kingdom must not exceed thirty days, ending no later than 15 Dhu al-Qi'dah. This looks like older season wording.
- The stay is 90 days.
The page does not say which line the ministry means to keep. The 90-day stay appears on the FAQ page and matches the press reports, and the 1448 season calendar now sets the last departure at 30 Shawwal 1448, so we work to those two figures. If your visa document shows different dates, follow the document and ask the company that issued it.
The season dates for 1448
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's calendar, on its page updated 19/10/2026:
| Milestone | Hijri | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Visa issuing and entry begin | 14 Dhul-Hijjah 1447 | 31/05/2026 |
| Permits open on Nusuk and Makkah entry | 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 |
These dates are for Umrah visas. Tourist visa holders face a separate Hajj-season rule, covered in Umrah on a Saudi tourist visa. Hajj itself is expected from 14 to 19/05/2027, according to Canada's travel advice (updated 22/10/2026).
Our Umrah calendar for 1448 shows the season month by month.
Worked examples
These are our own sums from the figures above, using the 30-day press report. Check them against your own visa.
- A visa issued on 01/02/2027: you must enter by 03/03/2027. If you enter that day, 90 days would run to 01/06/2027, but the season's last departure is 07/04/2027, so 07/04/2027 is your real limit.
- A visa issued on 09/03/2027, the last day: the last entry date is 23/03/2027, which comes before the 30-day mark. You must leave by 07/04/2027, which gives at most 15 days after entry on 23/03/2027.
- A visa issued on 20/11/2026, entering on 10/12/2026: you are inside the 30 days, which end on 20/12/2026. Your 90 days run to 10/03/2027, well inside the season.
The second example surprises families who book for the last days before the season closes. The later you travel, the fewer days you have.
What to ask before you pay
- On what date will my visa be issued, and does that leave me inside 30 days of my flight?
- What is my last allowed departure date, and does my return flight fall before it?
- What happens if my flight is delayed after the visa has been issued?
- If I want to stay longer, what are my options? The FAQ says the system does not extend an Umrah visa beyond 90 days.
- Is this a single-entry Umrah visa, or the one-year multiple-entry visa?
Our no booking, no visa rule guide explains why the hotel and transport bookings have to be in place before the visa is issued.
How Maqam e Haram helps
We can plan your hotel nights and return flight around your visa dates so the numbers above line up. We arrange hotels near the Haram, transfers from Jeddah airport and transport between Makkah and Madinah, and we help with Nusuk. We don't issue visas and can't promise one. The Saudi authorities decide. For a longer trip, see our 21-day packages, and ask us for today's price.
Message us on WhatsApp or call +92 309 9022120.
Questions and answers
How long is an Umrah visa valid?
Press reports of the ministry's 2025 decision say you must enter within 30 days of issue. After entry you may stay up to 90 days, within the season dates. The ministry's FAQ still says three months for entry, so confirm with your visa provider.
Is it 30 days or 90 days?
Both can apply. Thirty days is the reported entry window. Ninety days is the stay after you arrive.
Can I extend my Umrah visa?
The ministry's FAQ says the system does not allow extending an Umrah visa beyond 90 days or into the Hajj season.
What is the last date to leave Saudi Arabia in 1448?
07/04/2027 for Umrah visa holders, according to the ministry's season calendar.
What is the last date to enter in 1448?
23/03/2027. The last Umrah visa is issued on 09/03/2027.
What if my visa expires before I enter?
Reports say it is cancelled automatically 30 days after issue. Ask your company to reissue it.
Can I get more than one Umrah visa in a year?
Yes, according to the ministry's FAQ. There is also a one-year multiple-entry visa with 90 days in total.
Does the 90 days count from the visa date?
No. Per the FAQ, it is the stay after arrival. For the one-year visa, Gulf News says the 90 days are a total across its 365-day life.
What happens if I stay beyond my visa?
Fines and penalties for overstaying are outside the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's jurisdiction, according to its FAQ. GOV.UK warns that overstaying can lead to large fines, detention, deportation or a future ban. Leave on time.
Do tourist visas follow the same dates?
No. Tourist visas have their own terms, and Umrah on them is not allowed in the Hajj season.
Related pages
Sources
The official pages and references we used, with the date we checked them.
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, FAQ (opens in a new tab) (90-day stay; no extension beyond 90 days or into the Hajj season; entry "within three (3) months"; stay "not exceed thirty days"; more than one Umrah visa per year; overstay fines outside ministry jurisdiction)
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH (opens in a new tab) (page updated 19/10/2026)
- Gulf News, new amendments to Umrah visa rules, citing Al Arabiya (opens in a new tab) (31/10/2025)
- Aaj News, Umrah visa validity cut from three months to one month (opens in a new tab) (31/10/2025)
- Gulf News, 365-day multiple-entry Umrah visa and Nusuk booking rules (opens in a new tab) (updated 16/08/2026)
- Government of Canada, Saudi Arabia travel advice (opens in a new tab) (Hajj expected 14 to 19/05/2027; updated 22/10/2026)
- GOV.UK, Saudi Arabia entry requirements (opens in a new tab) (overstaying can lead to fines, detention, deportation and a ban)