Five Saudi visa types allow Umrah. Exactly one allows Hajj — and it is never sold outside the official Nusuk system.
For US and Canadian travelers, the tourist eVisa, visa on arrival, Umrah visa, stopover visa and (currently) visit visas can all be used for Umrah. Hajj requires a dedicated Hajj visa issued through Nusuk. Confusing the two is the single most expensive visa mistake in this market.
Hajj route · Nusuk only
Wrong-visa Hajj · fines & bans reported*
Saudi Arabia has opened more legal doors into the Kingdom in the last few years than in the previous fifty — which is wonderful for pilgrims and confusing for planners. Families now ask us weekly: can my mother come on a visit visa and join our Umrah? Can I do Umrah during a stopover? Does my tourist eVisa from last year’s trip still work? And, every Hajj season, the dangerous one: someone offering a “Hajj package” on a tourist visa. This guide puts every visa type in one table, then explains what each one is actually for.
All Six Visa Types at a Glance
| Visa type | Cost* | Validity / stay* | Umrah? | Hajj? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist eVisa (visa.visitsaudi.com) | ~SAR 535 (~$143), insurance incl. | 1 year · multiple entry · 90 days per stay | Yes (with free Nusuk permit) | No |
| Visa on arrival | ~SAR 480 (~$128) | 1 year · multiple entry · 90 days per stay | Yes (with permit) | No |
| Umrah visa (via Nusuk / licensed agents) | Government fee + insurance; usually inside package price | Single entry · up to 90 days, within Umrah season | Yes | No |
| Stopover / transit visa | Free with qualifying Saudia itineraries* | Up to 96 hours | Yes (short window) | No |
| Personal / family visit visa | Varies by type | Per visa terms | Currently yes* (announced; confirm) | No |
| Hajj visa (Nusuk Hajj only) | Included in the Nusuk Hajj package process | Hajj period only | — | Yes — the only one |
Fees, eligibility and conditions are set by the Saudi authorities and change; verify at visa.visitsaudi.com and nusuk.sa before applying.*
The Rule That Matters More Than All Others
Which Visa for Which Traveler
Take the tourist eVisa — cheapest per year of validity, multiple entry, and it keeps working for a return trip within twelve months. On a Hisar Tour package we process it for you. Full details in our Umrah visa guide for US citizens.
The Umrah visa through a licensed operator is the reliable route — it exists precisely for the nationalities the tourist program does not cover. Allow extra processing time and send documents early. If you hold a valid US/UK/Schengen visa or US permanent residency, you may qualify for the eVisa or visa on arrival under current rules — verify your exact document before booking.*
The stopover visa (up to 96 hours, offered free with qualifying Saudia itineraries*) legally allows a short Umrah between flights. It suits experienced travelers comfortable moving fast; it is a poor fit for a first Umrah, which deserves more than a layover.
Family and personal visit visas are sponsored by your host. Saudi authorities have announced that visit-visa holders may perform Umrah with a Nusuk permit — this permission has changed direction in past years, so confirm the current rule for your visa class before planning the trip around it.*
Register on Nusuk Hajj, book a package there when sales open, and the Hajj visa is issued as part of that process. No US travel company — including us — can sell you the visa itself; what we provide around the Nusuk package is flights, group leadership, preparation and support. See Hajj 2027 pre-registration.
Three Details That Catch Families Out
- Every visa type still needs an Umrah permit. The visa admits you to the country; the free permit in the official Nusuk app schedules your Umrah. Groups handle this centrally — independent travelers should book it before departure.
- The Umrah season has hard end dates. For 1448H, the announced calendar closes Umrah visa issuance on March 9, 2027, final entry March 23, and final departure April 7, 2027 (expected dates) — then Umrah pauses for Hajj. Overstaying into the Hajj window on any non-Hajj visa is treated as a violation.*
- The visa’s insurance is not travel insurance. The health cover bundled with Saudi visas handles medical emergencies inside the Kingdom. Trip cancellation, interruption and baggage need separate travel insurance — our refund and cancellation guide explains what to buy and when.
How Hisar Tour Handles This for You
When a family registers for one of our Umrah packages, the first thing our operations team does is map every passport in the group to the right visa route — US citizens to the eVisa, non-eligible passports to the Umrah visa, unclear cases checked against the current rules that week, because they do change. Then we process the applications, verify vaccine certificates, and book the group’s Umrah permits. For Hajj, we walk every pilgrim through Nusuk registration personally, and we say plainly what no honest company should be shy to say: if anyone offers you a shortcut around Nusuk, walk away.
One WhatsApp message, every passport sorted
Tell us who is traveling and what passports they hold. We will reply with the right visa route for each person — in writing, before you spend a dollar.
See Umrah Packages
WhatsApp +1 201-201-8992
A UAMA community organization · Visa processing included in every package
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an Umrah visa and a tourist visa?
The tourist eVisa is a general one-year, multiple-entry visa (about SAR 535 including insurance) that also permits Umrah with a free Nusuk permit. The Umrah visa is single-entry, season-bound, processed through licensed operators, and exists mainly for travelers not eligible for the tourist program or those on organized packages. Neither permits Hajj.
Can I do Hajj on a tourist visa?
No. Hajj requires a dedicated Hajj visa, issued only through the official system — for US and Canadian pilgrims, the Nusuk Hajj platform. Performing or attempting Hajj on any other visa risks reported fines up to SAR 20,000, deportation and multi-year re-entry bans.
Can I perform Umrah on a family visit visa?
Saudi authorities have announced that visit-visa holders may perform Umrah with a permit booked in the Nusuk app. Because this permission has changed in past years, confirm the current rule for your specific visa class shortly before travel.
Can I do Umrah during a layover in Jeddah?
Yes — a stopover/transit visa of up to 96 hours, offered free with qualifying Saudia itineraries, legally allows a short Umrah. It suits experienced travelers; for a first Umrah we recommend a full trip rather than a transit window.
Which visa should a green card holder use for Umrah?
It depends on their passport. If the passport is eVisa-eligible, use the tourist eVisa. If not, current Saudi rules have extended eVisa or visa-on-arrival eligibility to some holders of valid US/UK/Schengen visas and permanent residents — verify the rule for the exact document, or take the Umrah visa route through a licensed operator, which works for all nationalities.
When does the Umrah season close before Hajj 2027?
Per the announced 1448H calendar: last Umrah visa issuance March 9, 2027, final entry March 23, 2027, and final departure April 7, 2027 (expected dates). Umrah is expected to resume shortly after Hajj, as it did on May 31 in 2026. Authorities can adjust these dates.
*All fees, eligibility rules, permissions and season dates are set by the Saudi authorities and change without notice; figures reflect information published as of August 2026. Penalty figures are as reported in connection with recent Hajj seasons. Verify current rules at visa.visitsaudi.com and nusuk.sa before applying or booking. 2027 dates tied to the Hijri calendar are expected equivalents. This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Last reviewed: August 2026.
Last Updated on August 25, 2026
