Umrah Visa from Qatar for Residents: Requirements, Cost & How to Apply

Applying for an Umrah visa from Qatar is simpler than most people expect. Almost every resident can perform Umrah, whatever passport they hold, and the application is usually done online with no embassy visit. Saudi Arabia opened electronic visa eligibility to GCC residents of all professions, removing the old rule that limited it to a short list of job titles.

What catches people out is the layer around the visa: the free Umrah permit you still need in the Nusuk app, the season calendar that closes each spring, the vaccination certificate, and the Qatar-side paperwork nobody mentions until you reach the airport. This guide covers all of it in order.

Can Qatar Residents Apply for an Umrah Visa?

Yes. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that citizens and residents of GCC countries can perform Umrah at any time and enter through any port, provided they hold a permit issued through the Nusuk application. Your route depends on your status:

• Qatari and other GCC citizens do not apply for a visa. They enter on a passport or national ID, then take the Nusuk permit
• Expatriate residents of Qatar apply for a Saudi visa. The usual choice is the tourist e-visa, which Saudi Arabia allows to be used for Umrah, though an Umrah visa through Nusuk and a free airline stopover visa also work
• Children and dependants are included in a parent or guardian application rather than applying alone

Umrah Visa Options for Qatar Residents

Four entry routes are in use from Qatar, differing in cost, length of stay, and whether a travel package is required.

Route	Who it suits	Umrah allowed	Notes
Saudi tourist e-visa	Most expat residents of Qatar	Yes, Hajj excluded	Online, multiple entry, no package needed
Umrah visa via Nusuk	Pilgrims wanting a packaged trip, or nationalities the e-visa misses	Yes	Tied to a licensed provider package
Stopover (transit) visa	Travellers flying Saudia or flynas via the Kingdom	Yes	Free, up to 96 hours, issued with the ticket
No visa needed	Qatari and other GCC citizens	Yes	Passport or national ID, Nusuk permit still required

Saudi Tourist e-Visa: The Usual Route for Expats

This is the route most Qatar residents take. When Saudi Arabia extended e-visa eligibility to all GCC residents regardless of profession, the announcement stated the visa can be used for tourism or to perform Umrah. You apply on the official Saudi visa portal and get the decision by email. Validity and permitted stay are printed on the visa itself, so read that rather than a figure quoted elsewhere.

Umrah Visa Through the Nusuk Platform

Nusuk is the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah channel for international Umrah visas. Here the visa is bundled with a package from a licensed provider, covering hotels in Makkah and Madinah, intercity transport and Rawdah bookings. It costs more than a bare e-visa, but the logistics sit in the same system that issues the visa.

In September 2026 the Ministry launched a multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for 365 days, with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days shared across all visits rather than 90 days per visit. Each trip needs a Nusuk permit and an approved package, and the visa is not active during the Hajj season, from the first of Dhul Qadah to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah.

Free Stopover Visa With Saudia or flynas

Saudi Arabia offers a free stopover visa of up to 96 hours, issued electronically when you book with Saudia or flynas. It permits Umrah and a visit to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, but only helps if your itinerary routes through the Kingdom.

GCC Citizens: No Visa Required

Qatari nationals and citizens of other GCC states travel on a passport or national ID and can enter through any port. The Nusuk permit still applies, so skipping the app leaves them facing the same obstacle at the Haram as anyone else.

Umrah Visa Requirements for Qatar Residents

Eligibility Criteria

• A valid Qatari residence permit. For the GCC resident e-visa category, reporting on the rule change puts the minimum remaining validity at three months
• A passport valid at least six months from your entry date
• Applicants aged 18 and over apply in their own name, younger travellers join a parent or guardian application
• Health insurance for your stay, normally included in the visa fee
• No mahram requirement. Women of any age can perform Umrah, with no guardian consent letter or NOC needed

Documents Required for an Umrah Visa

• Passport bio page, valid six months beyond your entry date
• A Qatar ID that stays valid while you travel. If yours is near expiry, handle your Qatar ID renewal first, since an expiring residence permit can block the Saudi application and your return to Qatar
• A recent colour photograph on a plain white background
• An email address and mobile number for verification codes
• A payment card for the fee
• Vaccination certificate, in practice the meningococcal ACWY record
• Confirmed flights and accommodation. The e-visa needs no package, but agents and the Nusuk route ask for booking confirmations

Health and Vaccination Requirements

Saudi health requirements for pilgrims centre on the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine covering serogroups A, C, W135 and Y, from age one, given at least 10 days before arrival. Certificate validity runs up to three years for the polysaccharide vaccine and five for the conjugate. Polio and yellow fever certificates apply to arrivals from certain countries. Requirements are reissued each season, so confirm the current list with a licensed clinic in Qatar.

How to Apply for an Umrah Visa from Qatar Step by Step

Applying for the Saudi e-Visa Online

1. Check your passport and Qatar ID validity first, since a short residence permit is the most common reason for rejection.
2. Create an account on the official Saudi visa portal with your email and mobile number.
3. Select the visit visa or e-visa option, and the GCC resident category where offered.
4. Enter passport details exactly as printed, then your Qatari residence details.
5. Upload your photograph to the stated size and background.
6. Pay the fee. Insurance is attached here, so do not buy a separate policy.
7. Wait for the email decision before making non-refundable bookings.
8. Save the approved visa, then open the Nusuk app for your permit.

How to Apply Through the Nusuk Platform

1. Register on the official Nusuk Umrah platform as a visitor from outside the Kingdom.
2. Complete your passport information, contact details and the attachments requested.
3. Browse the packages for your country of residence. Every provider listed is licensed by the Ministry.
4. Choose a package covering your dates, hotels and intercity transport, then pay on the platform.
5. The visa is issued as part of the package, not as a separate application you chase.
6. Book your Umrah permit, and a Rawdah slot if you want one, once the visa is linked.

How to Get an Umrah Permit Using the Nusuk App

The Umrah permit is the electronic authorisation, issued as a QR code, that lets you enter the Grand Mosque to perform Umrah. It is mandatory whichever visa you hold, it is free, and it is tied to a date and time slot.

1. Download the Nusuk app and confirm the publisher is the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
2. Register under the category that matches you: Gulf resident, visitor, or citizen.
3. Enter passport details exactly as printed and upload your passport photograph.
4. Link your approved Saudi visa using the visa number and issue details.
5. Allow a day or two for verification and watch your notifications.
6. Open Umrah Permits, pick a date and time slot, and confirm to get the QR code.
7. Book a Rawdah appointment separately if you plan to pray there in Madinah.

If plans change, delete the appointment in the app before the slot begins and issue a new one, at no cost.

Umrah Visa Cost from Qatar

Visa Fees and Travel Costs

The Saudi e-visa fee is widely reported at SAR 300, roughly QR 290, with mandatory health insurance attached. Published totals differ because insurance, an application fee and tax are added at checkout, so the figure the portal shows at payment is the one that counts. The Nusuk permit is free.

Cost	What to expect
Visa fee	SAR 300 base, plus insurance and tax at checkout
Umrah permit	Free through the Nusuk app
Return flights from Doha	Varies sharply by season, with Ramadan and school holidays the most expensive weeks
Hotels	Driven almost entirely by walking distance to the Haram
Transport inside the Kingdom	Transfers, the Haramain high speed train between Makkah and Madinah, local taxis
Vaccination and border insurance	Clinic charge for the ACWY dose, plus Saudi vehicle cover if you drive

Umrah Packages from Qatar

Doha agencies sell bus and air packages, typically four to seven days, priced per person on twin or quad sharing. At the time of writing, advertised prices ran from around QR 1,200 for a basic air package to roughly QR 4,800 for longer trips, with hotels near the Haram costing more. Use those figures only to judge whether a quote sits in the normal range, then compare what is included: visa, transfers, Makkah and Madinah nights, intercity transport, meals, and how many share the room. A cheap headline price with quad sharing 40 minutes from the Haram is a different product.

What to Settle in Qatar Before You Travel

Saudi Arabia can approve your visa while Qatar still stops you at departure. Check that nothing is filed against your ID: a travel ban is not always something you have been told about, and an unpaid claim can surface at the airport counter. Our guide on how to check a travel ban in Qatar covers the free Ministry of Interior inquiry.

Most expatriates no longer need permission to leave, since the exit permit requirement was removed for the private sector in 2018 and for almost everyone else in 2020. A few narrow categories remain, and domestic workers are expected to give their employer notice before travelling. Our Qatar exit permit guide sets out who is still covered.

• Confirm your Qatar ID stays valid through your return date, and clear outstanding traffic fines if you plan to drive across the border
• Carry printed copies of your visa, permit QR code, bookings and vaccination certificate, not only screenshots

Travel Options from Qatar to Saudi Arabia for Umrah

Flying from Qatar

Both holy cities are reachable non-stop from Hamad International Airport. Doha to Jeddah takes around two and a half hours and Doha to Madinah around two and three quarter hours, with Qatar Airways, flynas and Saudia serving these routes. From Jeddah you continue to Makkah by road or on the Haramain high speed train.

One practical note the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah states on its own site: King Abdulaziz International Airport is neither a miqat nor a place for entering ihram. Plan for that before you fly, and take questions about entering ihram to a qualified scholar.

Road Travel from Qatar to Saudi Arabia

Driving remains a common choice for families. The only land border is Abu Samra, about 80 km south of Doha, crossing to Salwa on the Saudi side. Accounts of the drive describe roughly 3,000 km round trip via Hofuf, Riyadh and Taif, with an overnight stop on the way.

• Carry your passport, Saudi visa, Qatari driving licence and vehicle registration
• Buy Saudi vehicle insurance at the border. Reported prices have been around 120 riyals plus 15 percent tax for one week and 200 riyals plus tax for two weeks, so confirm at the counter
• Check your vehicle registration is current, since an expired istimara becomes a problem at the border. Our guide to renewing your istimara online covers it
• Expect biometric processing on the Saudi side, in separate halls for men and women
• Share the driving between at least two drivers, and avoid peak holiday weekends when queues are longest
• Group coach packages from Doha agencies follow the same road but handle the border paperwork for you

Best Time to Perform Umrah from Qatar

Umrah visas follow a published season calendar, and the dates are firm. For the 1448 AH season the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced:

Stage	Date
Umrah visa issuance opened	31 May 2026
Pilgrims began entering and receiving permits	1 June 2026
Last date to issue an Umrah visa	9 March 2027
Last date to enter Saudi Arabia	23 March 2027
Last date to depart	7 April 2027

Within that window, the choice is a trade-off between crowds, cost and weather.

• Autumn and winter are the most comfortable months to leave Qatar, especially if you are driving or travelling with children or elderly relatives
• Ramadan is the busiest and most expensive period, with the tightest permit availability and a one Umrah per person rule
• Qatari school holidays push up flight and hotel prices
• Peak summer is hard going by road, where a breakdown in high heat is a genuine risk
• Hajj season suspends Umrah entry, and the multiple-entry visa is not active from the first of Dhul Qadah to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah

Season dates are announced fresh each year, so check the current calendar before booking near the edges of the window.

Important Rules and Restrictions for Umrah Pilgrims

• A permit is mandatory. Whatever visa you hold, it comes from the Nusuk app and is checked at the Haram
• Ten days between permits. A minimum interval applies to the same person, across all age groups
• One Umrah during Ramadan. Nusuk will not issue a second Ramadan permit to the same person, a crowd measure the Ministry has stated openly
• Umrah visas do not cover Hajj, which needs separate authorisation
• The multiple-entry visa counts a shared 90 days across all visits in its 365 day validity, not 90 days each time
• Rawdah needs its own booking. No permit and QR code means no entry

Common Problems During Umrah Visa Application

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
Rejected on residency	Qatar ID too close to expiry for the GCC resident category	Renew the residence permit, then reapply
Passport details not accepted	Name or number entered differently from the passport	Re-enter exactly as printed, including middle names
Visa will not link in Nusuk	Verification incomplete, or visa details mistyped	Allow a day or two, recheck the number, then contact Nusuk support
No Umrah permit slots	Peak period, especially Ramadan and weekends	Check again as slots are released and widen your time window
Second permit refused	The 10 day interval, or the one Umrah per Ramadan rule	Nothing to fix, plan it outside the restricted period
Stopped at departure in Qatar	A travel ban or unresolved case against your ID	Run the Ministry of Interior travel ban inquiry well before travel

Tips for Qatar Residents Planning Umrah

• Sequence it properly: vaccination, then visa, then Nusuk permit, then flights and hotels
• Register on Nusuk early, even before your visa is issued, so verification is already done
• Book any Rawdah slot as soon as your dates are fixed, since those go fastest
• Travelling with elderly parents or young children, weigh the road trip honestly against a short flight

Planning Your Umrah Visa from Qatar: Final Checklist

For most people, getting an Umrah visa from Qatar comes down to four things: a valid passport and Qatar ID, an approved Saudi visa applied for online, a free Umrah permit booked in the Nusuk app, and a vaccination certificate in the folder. GCC citizens skip the visa but not the permit, and expat residents of any profession can now use the e-visa.

The details worth checking twice are the ones easiest to leave until last: the season calendar, the 10 day gap between permits, the one Umrah rule in Ramadan, and anything on your record in Qatar.

Official Sources to Verify Before You Apply

QatarVia is independent and not affiliated with the Saudi or Qatari authorities. Fees, season dates, permit rules and health requirements are set by the Saudi government and change between seasons. Confirm your own case on the Nusuk Umrah platform, the official Saudi visa portal and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah before paying or finalising dates.