Saudi Arabia has replaced its old three-month Umrah visa with a one-year, multiple-entry version. The headlines are calling it a major upgrade. It is — but "one year" describes how long the visa stays valid, not how long you can stay in the country. That's still capped, and almost none of the coverage leads with the number that actually matters.
The new visa runs for 365 days and lets you enter as many times as you like inside that window — but only for a combined 90 days across all of those visits put together. Overstay that balance, even in small pieces spread across separate trips, and it counts against the same total.
What Actually Changed
The old Umrah visa was single-purpose and valid for three months from issue. Under the new Pilgrim Experience Programme — part of Saudi Vision 2030 — that's gone. As of this week, every new Umrah visa is issued as a one-year multiple-entry visa instead of the old three-month one. The change applies to new applications; if you already hold a three-month visa, it stays valid until it expires as normal.
The point isn't a longer holiday. It's fewer applications. Anyone who splits Umrah into more than one trip a year — families sending relatives over in stages, or pilgrims who prefer a shorter visit each time rather than one long one — no longer re-applies and re-pays before every single trip.
The 90-Day Catch
This is the detail every headline skips. The one-year validity is a window, not an allowance. You get a running total of 90 days inside Saudi Arabia, tracked cumulatively across the full year:
- Visit for 20 days in one trip, and you have 70 left for the rest of the year.
- Come back later for another 15, and you're down to 55.
- Once the 90 are used, you're done — even if there are still months left before the visa's 365-day validity actually expires.
Plan a multi-trip year around this balance, not around the 12-month expiry date. If you're combining Umrah with a longer family visit elsewhere in the country, those extra days come out of the same pool.
What It Costs
Here's the part that didn't change:
| Visa type | Commonly cited cost |
|---|---|
| Group Umrah visa (via tour operator) | ~₹15,500 |
| Individual Umrah visa | ~₹16,500 |
These are commonly cited operator rates, not a fixed government price. Charges vary by provider, season, and exchange rate. Get a written quote from your travel agent before paying, and if you're applying yourself, confirm the current fee directly on the Nusuk platform.
How To Actually Book It
Two things changed in the process, not just on paper:
- Every trip needs a service package booked through an approved provider on the Nusuk platform — accommodation and logistics bundled in, not a bare standalone visa.
- You then need an Umrah permit issued through the Nusuk app before each individual visit. The one-year visa gets you into the country; the permit is what gets you into the Grand Mosque for that specific trip.
In practice: book through a travel agent who already works with Nusuk-approved providers — most established Indian Umrah operators do — and budget extra time before each trip for the permit step. Don't assume the visa alone is enough to walk in on arrival.
Should You Bother With the New Visa
If you already visit more than once a year — families splitting trips across seasons, or anyone sending relatives over in stages — this is a straightforward win: one application instead of several, at the same price. If you're a first-time, single-trip pilgrim, day-to-day nothing changes for you beyond the paperwork; the 90-day cap only becomes relevant if you're staying unusually long.
FAQ
Is the three-month Umrah visa still available?
No — it has been replaced by the one-year multiple-entry visa for new applications. Existing three-month visas already issued remain valid until they expire.
Does a one-year Umrah visa mean I can stay in Saudi Arabia for a year?
No. You get a combined 90 days inside the country across all visits during the 365-day validity — not continuous residence.
How much does the new Umrah visa cost?
Commonly cited operator rates are around ₹15,500 for a group visa and ₹16,500 for an individual one, unchanged from the previous visa. Confirm the exact figure with your provider, as it varies.
Do I need anything besides the visa to enter for Umrah?
Yes — a service package booked through an approved provider on the Nusuk platform, plus an Umrah permit obtained via the Nusuk app before each individual visit.