Umrah Visa Rules 2025: Mandatory Hotel & Transport Pre-Booking

UAE travel operators are reminding pilgrims that new Umrah visa rules 2025 now require confirmed hotel and transport bookings when applying for the visa. Under the updated regulations, pilgrims must arrange licensed accommodation and usable transport — such as airport transfers, authorized taxis, or the Haramain Express train — ahead of their visa submission.

All bookings should be made via Saudi Arabia’s official platforms, Nusuk or Masar, which have become central to the process. Hotels listed must be licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, and transport must be with certified providers. Pilgrims arriving without these confirmed bookings may face extra checks at Jeddah or Madinah airports, risk visa delays, or even denial of entry under certain circumstances.

Travel agencies in the UAE are urging applicants to complete the required bookings as early as possible to avoid complications. These changes are part of broader measures to tighten oversight, reduce accommodation fraud, ensure safety, and improve the overall pilgrim experience, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform goals.