Umrah is a religious activity that is performed by Muslims when they visit the holy city of Makkah. Umrah comprises of special dressing, the seven round of the Kabba, seven rounds of Saffa and Marwa and getting the head shaved off for the males after performing it.
During the Umrah activity, the Muslims male wear a special two piece un-stitched clothing, known as Irham. Women wear loose garment that covers their entire body. This garment is known as Abaya. They also cover their head with scarf.
This Post Contains
- Details about Saudi Arabia Visit / Tourist Visa
- Group A countries:
- Group B countries:
- Visa Exempted Countries:
- Saudi Arabia Visit Visa for Holders of US, UK and Schengen Visa:
- Saudi Arabia Visit Visa for the Holders of GCC Residents:
- Can you perform Umrah on Saudi Visit Visa?
- Can You Perfom Hajj on Saudi Visit Visa?
- Can I perform Umrah on the visit visa as an unaccompanied woman, without a male relative?
- How to apply for the Saudi Arabia Visit Visa on a Pakistani Passport?
Details about Saudi Arabia Visit / Tourist Visa
The visit visa only allows tourists to take part in tourism related activities, and perform Umrah. It does not allow all other activities, for instance, working and studying.
For obtaining visit visa, the countries are divided into 2 groups – Group A and Group B
Group A countries:
Applicants can apply for an e-Visa, or get a Visa on arrival upon entry to Saudi Arabia. Under the tourist visa scheme, the nationals of 49 countries from Europe, Asia and America are allowed to get a multiple visa, either online or at arrival. Apply online here.
List of 49 countries are as follows:
USA, Canada, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Malaysia, Austria, Cyprus, UK, Croatia, Estonia, Andorra, Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Greece, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Iceland, Malta, Poland, Latvia, Norway, Russia, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, Australia, San Marino, Ukraine, China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
Group B countries:
Applicants can apply for a Consulate visa at the Saudi embassy or consulate closest to them.
Below are the special cases:
Visa Exempted Countries:
A GCC citizen will not need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. Don’t confuse the GCC Citizen with GCC resident.
Saudi Arabia Visit Visa for Holders of US, UK and Schengen Visa:
As per the latest expansion of the tourist visa system, holders of US, UK and Schengen visa are eligible for the evisa or visa on arrival.
This news is available on the internet from the credible sites, but when I checked with the KSA authorities, they have denied it and holders of US, UK and Schengen visa on a passport that is not from Group A countries, are not eligible for the visit visa. Please check with relevant authorities.
Below is the screen-shot of the email communication with Visit Saudi portal.
As per the authorities, having a US valid visa will increase the chances, but even then you have to apply via embassy / consulate and not online.
Saudi Arabia Visit Visa for the Holders of GCC Residents:
I asked the question with the authorities that whether a valid GCC resident will be able to get the Saudi Arabia Tourist / Visa visa, but like the valid US visa, this condition will not qualify for online application.
Can you perform Umrah on Saudi Visit Visa?
As per the official website of Saudi Government, holders of visitor visa can perfom Umrah. Check the FAQ section of Visitsaudi.com
The good news is that you can perform Umrah on New Saudi Tourist / Visit Visa. Uptil now I haven’t used this visa for performing Umrah, but I will use it in sha Allah.
Can You Perfom Hajj on Saudi Visit Visa?
No, Hajj cannot be performed on the visit visa. As per the FAQ on the offical visa website, Hajj cannot be perfromed. Check the reply on the official site. Check the FAQ section of Visitsaudi.com
Can I perform Umrah on the visit visa as an unaccompanied woman, without a male relative?
Unlike before, when ladies need to have a male relative (known as Mehram) to perform Umrah with them, this new visit visa allows women to perform Umrah without being accompanied by a male relative. Check the official reply
How to apply for the Saudi Arabia Visit Visa on a Pakistani Passport?
As per the rules, Pakistani citizens cannot apply for the e-visa and get visa on arrival. They are in the Group B countries and they have to apply via embassy.