RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has introduced a new multiple-entry Umrah visa, allowing pilgrims to make repeated visits to the kingdom over a one-year period to perform the pilgrimage.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the visa will be valid for 365 days from the date of issuance and will allow holders to stay in the kingdom for a cumulative period of up to 90 days.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the initiative is part of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Pilgrim Experience Programme, aimed at facilitating pilgrims’ arrival, enriching their experience and improving service efficiency.
Under the new policy, pilgrims will be eligible to use the visa only after purchasing an Umrah service package from an approved provider through the Nusuk Umrah platform for each visit. The package duration must not exceed the remaining validity of the visa, and pilgrims must obtain an Umrah permit through Nusuk before travelling.
The ministry said the visa would be deactivated once the pilgrim departs Saudi Arabia after completing Umrah and could be reactivated for future visits after meeting the required conditions. The visa will remain inactive during the annual Hajj season.
The Nusuk platform serves as a one-stop digital portal for visa issuance, accommodation, transport and flight bookings for Umrah pilgrims.
According to official figures, Saudi Arabia has welcomed 931,500 Umrah pilgrims so far in 2026, a 22.5 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The largest number of pilgrims came from Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq.
