A UK passport holder going on Umrah needs a Saudi entry permission, a passport that expires at least six months after arrival, and proof of a MenACWY (ACWY meningitis) vaccine given at least 10 days before arrival. Which entry permission applies depends on how the trip is arranged. GOV.UK lists an electronic travel authorisation or an electronic visa waiver for Umrah, while the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah describes an Umrah visa linked to a service package on its Nusuk platform.
One point comes first: GOV.UK says the FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia outside the Yemen border zone, where it advises against all travel.
Information checked on 28 October 2026. Rules change at short notice. We are not immigration or medical advisers, so confirm visa rules on the official portal and check your own health with your GP or a travel clinic before you book.
What does the FCDO say about travel to Saudi Arabia right now?
GOV.UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) page for Saudi Arabia was updated on 27 October 2026. It says the FCDO advises against all travel to within 10 km of the border with Yemen and all but essential travel to the rest of Saudi Arabia. Its change history shows the all-but-essential advice for the rest of the country was added on 16 October 2026.
The page also says King Khalid International Airport was struck by a missile on 10 October 2026, that the Houthis have launched missiles and drones at several Saudi locations since 13 July, and that there is a heightened threat to airports across the country, including Jeddah. It says further attacks, disruption and cancellations are very likely, and that your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. It does not name Makkah or Madinah as exceptions.
We cannot tell you whether to travel. Read the FCDO Saudi Arabia travel advice yourself on the day you book and again before you fly. Ask your insurer in writing whether your policy covers the trip, and ask any provider, including us, in writing what happens to your booking if flights are cancelled or the advice changes.
Which visa does a UK passport holder need for Umrah?
GOV.UK's entry requirements page, written for people on a full British citizen passport, says you must get a visa to visit Saudi Arabia and that the type depends on your reason for travelling. It lists:
| Route | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) | Covers Umrah outside the Hajj season. Valid for 730 days, multiple entries, 180 days in total. No health insurance included. |
| Electronic visa waiver | Covers Umrah outside the Hajj season. One entry, stay of up to 180 days. Apply online from 90 days ahead to at least 48 hours before your flight. No health insurance included. |
| E-visa | Described for tourists. Valid for 365 days, multiple entries, 90 days in total. Includes health insurance up to 100,000 Saudi Riyals. |
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah describes a separate Umrah visa: an electronic visa granted to pilgrims, according to its FAQ.
GOV.UK's own pages differ slightly. The entry requirements page lists the ETA and the electronic visa waiver for Umrah and describes the e-visa for tourists, while its pilgrimage page says you can apply for an e-visa or an electronic visa waiver to perform Umrah. So do not pick a route from a comparison website. Ask your provider which permission your booking uses, get it in writing and check it on the official portal. GOV.UK says to contact the Saudi Embassy in the UK if you are unsure how the requirements apply to you.
Can you apply through an agent, or do it yourself?
The Ministry's FAQ says an Umrah visa can be obtained in two ways: by designing the Umrah programme directly on an approved platform such as Nusuk, or by contacting an external agent who obtains the visa through Nusuk. It also says an agent cannot issue an Umrah visa without service packages for accommodation and transport.
Nusuk's Umrah platform describes itself as an official platform under the Ministry's supervision, with services from visa issuance to package booking without the need for external agents. It says the packages shown depend on the countries available for individual Umrah. We found no official list saying whether the UK is one.
Travel Orbit is not a visa-issuing authority. If you book a package with us, we provide visa assistance and confirm the route that applies to you at the time of booking.
GOV.UK warns that UK-based criminal groups target people planning pilgrimage trips, and advises making sure your operator is ATOL protected when booking Umrah, paying by credit card where possible and getting everything in writing.
What is the new multiple-entry Umrah visa?
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched a multiple-entry Umrah visa on 20 July 2026. It says the visa is valid for 365 days from issue, with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days. Each visit needs a service package from an approved provider on Nusuk and an Umrah permit through the Nusuk app before arrival. The visa is deactivated after each departure and reactivated when the requirements for the next visit are met, and it will not be activated during the Hajj season.
We found no official statement on which nationalities can get this visa, or on its fee. If you plan a single trip, ask your provider whether you need it at all.
How long can you stay, and what are the 2026/27 season dates?
Stay depends on the permission, as the table above shows. The Ministry's FAQ page gives different stay lengths in different answers and does not date each one, so we do not quote a stay for the standard Umrah visa. Ask your provider for the figure on your visa.
The Ministry's 1448 AH Umrah calendar, which opened visa issuance on 31 May 2026, sets these dates:
- The last day to issue Umrah visas is 9 March 2027.
- The last day for pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia is 23 March 2027.
- The last day for pilgrims to leave is 7 April 2027.
The calendar is framed around Umrah visas. It does not say whether it also governs ETA or electronic visa waiver holders, so ask how your permission fits these dates. GOV.UK warns that overstaying can mean large fines, detention, deportation and a ban from returning. For timing and package contents, see our Umrah planning guide, and for Ramadan dates see Umrah in Ramadan 2027.
What does an Umrah visa cost?
The Ministry's FAQ says the fee for issuing the Umrah visa is estimated at 300 Saudi Riyals. It does not say whether that includes health insurance or applies to the multiple-entry visa. We did not read an official fee for the ETA, the electronic visa waiver or the e-visa, so we give none, and we do not convert to pounds because the rate changes. Ask your provider whether the visa is in the package price, and see our Umrah cost guide for what usually sits outside a package.
What passport do you need?
GOV.UK says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. If you arrive on 10 March 2027, it must run to at least 10 September 2027. You will be denied entry without a valid travel document or with a passport reported lost or stolen. Renew early if you are close to the limit, and make sure the name on your booking matches your passport. GOV.UK says British citizens with more than one nationality must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement when returning to the UK.
What does the MenACWY vaccine requirement say?
GOV.UK's entry requirements page lists a meningococcal quadrivalent vaccine certificate among the vaccine requirements for Umrah pilgrims. Its pilgrimage page says you must have a valid certificate of vaccination against the ACWY strains of meningitis 10 days before arriving to perform Umrah.
TravelHealthPro, the UK travel health service run by NaTHNaC, adds that:
- proof must be received at least 10 days before planned arrival in the Hajj and Umrah areas;
- the Saudi national authority told it, by personal communication, that the requirement applies from age one (its 2025 Umrah notice said aged over one year);
- a conjugate vaccine is accepted within the last five years and a polysaccharide vaccine within three, and a certificate that does not show the type counts as valid for three years;
- the record should show your full name and the vaccine name and type, ideally issued by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist with an official stamp.
There is a gap. TravelHealthPro's factsheet, last updated on 26 June 2026, said the Saudi Ministry of Health's requirements for the new Umrah season were expected soon. We did not find that document, so check TravelHealthPro again before you book. GOV.UK also lists a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country listed as a transmission risk.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urged Umrah pilgrims in April 2025 to be vaccinated after meningococcal disease cases in people returning from Saudi Arabia. TravelHealthPro says the vaccines do not protect against all causes of meningitis, and that anyone unwell after returning should contact their GP, NHS 111 or a local hospital and mention the trip.
Where and when can you get the MenACWY vaccine in the UK?
The NHS says MenACWY is recommended for all teenagers, usually given in school year 9, with catch-up up to age 25. It adds that it is available for some people at increased risk of meningitis because of a medical condition, work, travel or close contact with someone infected.
The NHS travel vaccinations page lists the travel vaccines free on the NHS after a risk assessment form at a GP surgery: cholera, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid. It says you can book and pay for others at a private clinic, a pharmacy with travel health services, or a GP surgery if available. It does not name MenACWY. We found no NHS statement on whether an adult going on Umrah can have it free, so ask your GP surgery, a pharmacy or a travel clinic, and ask the price first.
The NHS says to seek travel health advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, and GOV.UK's health page says at least 8 weeks. The certificate must be dated at least 10 days before arrival, so for an arrival on 10 March 2027, vaccinate on or before 28 February 2027, and earlier is safer.
Can women travel without a mahram, and can children go?
The Ministry's FAQ answers yes to "Is a woman allowed to come to perform Umrah without a mahram?" The page does not date each answer, so ask your provider whether any rule applies to your booking.
On children, the FAQ gives five as the minimum age for an Umrah visa or permit, in an answer worded around coronavirus rules, so we cannot tell if it is current. TravelHealthPro's vaccine age is one. For a child under five, ask your provider to confirm the position in writing.
What should you check before you pay a deposit?
- The FCDO page, and whether your insurer will cover the trip.
- Which entry permission your booking uses, and who applies for it.
- Whether the visa fee, Nusuk permit and service package are in the price.
- That your passport runs 6 months past your arrival date.
- That your vaccination date and certificate meet the 10-day rule.
- What happens to your booking, in writing, if flights are cancelled or the advice changes.
Book with a team that checks the details for you
Tell us your passport, your dates and who is travelling, and we will confirm the details that matter and put together options that fit. Use the enquiry form, email [email protected], or start with our Umrah packages.
Where to next
- Umrah packages from the UK, with 3-star, 4-star and 5-star options
- Umrah planning guide from the UK
- Umrah in Ramadan 2027 from the UK
- How much Umrah costs from the UK
- What ATOL protected means
Sources
We read these pages on 28 October 2026. Rules change, so check the official page for your own dates.
- GOV.UK, FCDO, Saudi Arabia travel advice (updated 27 October 2026): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia
- GOV.UK, FCDO, Saudi Arabia entry requirements: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia/entry-requirements
- GOV.UK, FCDO, Saudi Arabia pilgrimage: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia/pilgrimage
- GOV.UK, FCDO, Saudi Arabia health: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia/health
- Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, FAQ: https://haj.gov.sa/en/FAQ
- Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH: https://haj.gov.sa/en/Media-Center/Ministry-News/2026/Ministry-of-Hajj-and-Umrah-Announces-the-Umrah-Season-Calendar-for-1448-AH
- Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, multiple-entry Umrah visa, 20 July 2026 (copy on the Pilgrim Experience Program site): https://pep.gov.sa/en/node/1004
- Nusuk Umrah platform: https://umrah.nusuk.sa/
- TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Hajj and Umrah factsheet (last updated 26 June 2026): https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheets/hajj-and-umrah
- TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Invasive meningococcal disease reported in Umrah pilgrims in 2025: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/835/invasive-meningococcal-disease-reported-in-umrah-pilgrims-in-2025
- UKHSA, urges pilgrims to get meningitis vaccination, 24 April 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-urges-hajj-and-umrah-pilgrims-to-get-meningitis-vaccination
- NHS, MenACWY vaccine: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/menacwy-vaccine/
- NHS, travel vaccinations: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/travel-vaccinations/