How to Apply for an Umrah Visa? A Complete Guide

It’s every Muslim’s dream to visit the Holy Kaaba once in their lives. So, if you are planning to perform Umrah, you are at the right place to find information to apply for the Umrah Visa. The process may seem complex, but it is very easy to apply for a visa with proper guidance. 

Qibla Travels Ltd. has got you covered. You just need to know a few things before you begin the application process to save your time and for your convenience.

Umrah, the minor pilgrimage, is an auspicious event in any Muslim’s life. It can be performed throughout the year, unlike Hajj, which can be performed only once a year during the Islamic month of Zilhajj. In addition, Muslims gather at the Kaaba, located in Mecca, to perform Islamic rituals. Therefore, it is indeed a very joyous and spiritual occasion for them.

First Step-Certified Travel Agency: 

First of all, you need to find a Saudi Arabia-approved Umrah Travel Agency. Qibla Travels is the best for the job. Then you will have to fill out the visa form and submit the application along with the required documents to our agency and leave the rest to us. 

After that, it will take a few days, most probably 15 days, for the processing of the visa to get approval to visit Saudi Arabia. 

Time Duration for a Valid Visa: 

Before entering Saudi Arabia, visitors should make sure that their passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months before they leave. Visitors can apply for an Umrah Visa, which allows them to stay there for 2 weeks, most probably.

Moreover, visitors are required to depart before the visa expires or face penalties, including fines on the visa. In addition, deportation and a ban on re-entering Saudi Arabia. 

Thus, the Hijri calendar is used in Saudi Arabia, so once you get the passport, check the dates carefully so that you know when the visa expires. 

Requirements for the Umrah Visa: 

The requirements for the visa application are as follows: 

• Negative PCR Test Report for all visitors above 8 years of age 
• A Vaccination Certificate for Meningococcal Meningitis (children of age 2 years or less don’t require this) 
• Quarantine package (if not vaccinated) 
• Flight Ticket 
• Hotel Confirmation: Where you will stay with payment confirmation 
• Passport 
• Recent Passport Size Coloured photographs are printed on high-quality paper on a white background. 
• Letter of Shahada for New Muslims 
• Women below 45 and children under 18 are not allowed to travel alone unless accompanied by an adult or a mahram, including their father, husband, adult son, brother, uncle, or nephew.  

If the last name of the woman does not match with her mahram’s, she needs to submit proof such as a birth or marriage certificate. 

• Female pilgrims over the age of 45 can travel with a tour group. However, they will need to submit a letter of no objection from a mahram or somebody like a mahram to authorize the umrah along with a group. 
• All visitors who are non-UK passport holders must be residents in the UK for at least 3 months. 

Therefore, all these things must be submitted along with the visa form for the visa processing to start. 

COVID Test and Quarantine: 

As the pandemic has affected everything badly. For an Umrah Visa from the UK, the visitor needs to present a negative Covid-19 PCR Test from an airline-approved laboratory. Also, the test should not be older than 72 hours before departure from the country.

If you are fully vaccinated, you do not need to be quarantined. However, if you are not vaccinated; you will have to stay in quarantine for 3 days when you reach there. All visitors above the age of 12 years are required to be vaccinated.

Moreover, the authorized vaccines are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Janssen. Children under the age of 11 do not need to submit a negative PCR COVID report. In addition, children under the age of 7 can enter Saudi Arabia without having to be quarantined, provided that their parents are not quarantined as well.

The vaccination requirements are as follows:

• Two doses of Pfizer BioNTech. 
• 2 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca
• 2 doses of Moderna
• 1 dose of Johnson’s Janssen
• Sinopharm + 1 dose of either Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Janssen, or Moderna. 
• Sinovac + 1 dose of either Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Janssen, or Moderna. 
• Other Vaccinations 

Hence, aside from the COVID-19 vaccination, other vaccinations that are required before traveling are yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, polio, and seasonal flu shots. 

Prohibited Places: 

The Umrah Visas are only valid for travel within and between Jeddah, Mecca, and Madinah. Visitors are not allowed to travel outside these cities. However, doing so can result in penalties and immigration violations. 

Moreover, non-Muslims are prohibited from traveling to the holy city of Mecca. Also, they are allowed to visit some portions of Madina that are considered sacred. However, those who are born in Israel or have an Israeli visa in their passport are prohibited from traveling to Saudi Arabia. 

The Final Word:

In a nutshell, if you are planning to perform Umrah and do not know where to start, we have sorted everything out for you. All the procedures and requirements for applying for an Umrah Visa have been accounted for. That is why you should not stress over it, but rather just go for it.

In addition, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. And Qibla Travels Ltd. makes sure you have a hassle-free experience. Also, we make things as easy as we can for you so that you can be fully present in front of Allah without having to worry about other things.