2026 Umrah Rules for Indian Passport Holders — Biometrics, Visas & Ground Realities

Biometrics and the Saudi Visa Bio app

Saudi Arabia collects fingerprints and a facial image from many visa applicants. For a growing number of Indian applicants this is done on their own phone through the official Saudi Visa Bio app (some pilgrims call it the Nusuk Bio app). Where phone enrolment is not possible, the applicant is directed to a visa centre.

Use a well-lit room and your own device, and enrol every traveller separately, including children if requested. Keep the confirmation screen: you may be asked for it later in the application.

Photo specifications

Use a recent colour photo on a plain white background, facing the camera with a neutral expression and your full face visible. Women may wear a hijab provided the face is fully visible. Avoid glasses that reflect light, filters or edited images — rejected photos are one of the most common reasons for delays.

Visa validity: entry window and length of stay

An Umrah visa carries two different limits: the date by which you must enter Saudi Arabia, and how long you may stay once inside. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has changed these limits several times in recent seasons, including allowing stays of up to 90 days and shortening the window to enter after the visa is issued.

Do not rely on what a friend was told last year. Read the dates printed on your own visa, and plan flights so you arrive well inside the entry window and leave before the stay ends. Overstaying can bring fines and affect future visas.

Women travelling without a mahram

Since 2021 Saudi rules have allowed adult women to obtain a visa and perform Umrah without a male guardian, usually travelling with a trusted group or family. Older rules allowed women over 45 to travel only in an organised group; you may still hear this mentioned, but it is not the current Saudi Umrah rule.

For Hajj from India, the Haj Committee of India runs a separate category for women aged 45 and over travelling without a mehram in a group. Check the Haj Committee's current guidelines for Hajj, and seek a religious ruling from a scholar you trust — this guide covers logistics only.

Umrah on a stopover (transit) visa

Saudi Arabia offers a short stopover visa to passengers flying with Saudia or flynas through the Kingdom. Holders have been able to perform Umrah and visit Madinah during the stopover. It is issued with the airline booking, it is short, and conditions change — confirm eligibility, duration and any fees on the airline's own website before you plan around it.

A stopover leaves little room for delays. Book a hotel close to the Haram, arrange a private transfer from the airport, and enter ihram before crossing the miqat on the flight.

Ground realities in Makkah and Madinah

Permits for the Rawdah in Madinah are booked through the Nusuk app, with separate slots for men and women; slots fill quickly in busy months. Hotel distance and route to the Haram matter more than star rating, especially for elders. Transport between the airports and the two cities should be booked in advance with clear pickup times.

Everything in your package — hotels, nights, flights and transport — should be confirmed to you in writing before you pay anything.

Paying safely: 2% gateway fee vs direct bank transfer

Marhaba Haji accepts payments only in the name of Marhaba Ventures Private Limited. Online payments by card, NetBanking or UPI through the payment gateway carry a 2% convenience fee charged by the gateway. A direct bank transfer (NEFT, RTGS or IMPS) to the company's current account has no convenience fee; the account details are given only in your private, signed booking confirmation.

We never ask for money to a personal savings account or a personal UPI ID such as a Google Pay or PhonePe number. If anyone does, it is unauthorised — call us before paying. The full payment and cancellation terms are on our Payments & Refunds page.

Marhaba Haji packages include Umrah visa assistance only within eligible full packages. Standalone Umrah visas are handled separately by our visa service at umrah-visa.marhabahaji.com.