Planning more than one Umrah journey in the same year is about to become considerably easier. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced a multiple-entry Umrah visa that remains valid for 365 days from the date it is issued.
The visa allows holders to enter the Kingdom several times during that year, with a maximum cumulative stay of 90 days. The important word is cumulative: travellers do not receive a fresh 90-day allowance every time they arrive. The days used during each visit are deducted from the total available across the visa’s full validity period.
For pilgrims hoping to perform Umrah more than once, the change removes the need to begin an entirely new visa application before every journey. It also gives families more freedom to plan visits around work, school holidays and other commitments rather than trying to fit everything into one trip.
There are still several steps to complete before each visit. Visa holders must purchase a service package from an approved provider through the Nusuk platform every time they plan to travel. The package must fall within the remaining validity of the visa, while the traveller must also stay within the overall 90-day allowance.
An Umrah permit must then be issued through the Nusuk app before arrival. The dates on the permit should correspond with the approved service package arranged for that particular journey.
Once the traveller leaves Saudi Arabia, the visa will be temporarily deactivated. It can be reactivated for another visit after the required package, permit and regulatory conditions have been completed again.
The visa will not be activated during the Hajj season, from the first day of Dhu Al Qadah until the 13th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. Anyone planning a journey close to that period will therefore need to check the permitted dates carefully before booking flights or accommodation.
Nusuk remains central to the process, with pilgrims using the platform to purchase an approved service package and obtain the permit needed for each visit.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the new visa supports Saudi Vision 2030 and the Pilgrim Experience Program, which are intended to make arrivals easier and improve the services available throughout the journey.
The new system does not remove the need to plan each trip properly. Pilgrims will still need to arrange their package, secure a permit and keep track of how many days they have already spent in the Kingdom.
What changes is how often the entire visa process needs to be repeated. For people who regularly return for Umrah or hope to make several visits within the same year, that should make the next journey noticeably easier to organise.
