If you've been performing Umrah on a single-entry visa every time, Saudi Arabia has just made repeat visits significantly simpler.
What Was Officially Announced
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that the new visa is valid for a full year from the date it's issued, and lets holders enter Saudi Arabia repeatedly rather than needing a fresh visa for every trip. Across all visits combined, pilgrims can stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days. The Ministry described this as part of its Pilgrim Experience Program and Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at making it easier to plan visits and improving overall service efficiency.
How Each Individual Visit Still Works
Having the multiple-entry visa doesn't remove the need to prepare for each trip separately. For every individual visit, you still need to:
- Purchase a service package from an approved provider through the Nusuk platform.
- Make sure the package duration doesn't exceed the number of days remaining on your visa.
- Get an Umrah permit issued through the Nusuk app before you arrive.
Multiple-Entry vs Single-Entry: Quick Comparison
| | Single-Entry Umrah Visa | New Multiple-Entry Umrah Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | One visit only | 365 days from issuance |
| Number of entries | One | Multiple |
| Cumulative stay | Per visit | Up to 90 days combined |
| Booking required per visit | Yes | Yes, for every visit |
What This Means for Pakistani Pilgrims
The official announcement is a general international rollout and doesn't specify individual eligible nationalities. Pakistani pilgrims who travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah regularly, including for family visits combined with Umrah, should check their own eligibility for this visa type directly on the Nusuk platform before assuming it applies to their situation.
Final Thoughts
If you regularly travel for Umrah, this new visa could save you the hassle of reapplying for every single trip — but it doesn't remove the need to book properly through Nusuk each time, and it won't work during Hajj season. Before making any travel plans around this, confirm your own eligibility directly through the official Nusuk platform.
Official source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — Hajj Ministry Launches Multiple-Entry Umrah Visa Valid for One Year
