How to Apply for an Umrah Visa from India (Step-by-Step, 2026)

Before you start: are you eligible?

Indian passport holders are eligible to perform Umrah on an electronic Umrah visa. There is no longer a mahram requirement for women travelling in an organised group, though individual circumstances vary and border rules are applied at the discretion of Saudi immigration.

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of entry
• No travel restrictions or pending immigration issues in Saudi Arabia
• Not travelling during the official Hajj restriction period on an Umrah visa
• Able to provide confirmed accommodation in Makkah and Madinah

The application, step by step

1. 01Choose your visa pathwayDecide on stay length and whether you need hotel and food BRN handled for you, are travelling as a group, or are being hosted in Saudi Arabia. The pathway determines which documents you must supply.
2. 02Prepare your documentsPassport bio page scan, a recent white-background photograph meeting the required dimensions, and personal details exactly as printed on the passport. Names must match character for character across every document.
3. 03Confirm accommodation and obtain BRNsMakkah and Madinah hotel bookings must carry valid Booking Reference Numbers that Saudi systems can validate. A booking confirmation email is not the same thing as a validated BRN.
4. 04Arrange flights and insuranceReturn or onward tickets and the mandatory medical insurance are part of the submission. Insurance is normally bundled into the visa fee.
5. 05Pre-submission document auditEvery field is cross-checked against the passport before anything is filed. This is the single step that prevents most rejections.
6. 06Submission and approvalThe application is filed electronically. Approval typically takes one to three working days, though it can be longer in peak Ramadan and school-holiday periods.
7. 07Receive and print your visaThe approved visa arrives as a PDF. Print a colour copy and keep a copy on your phone — airlines check it at boarding and Saudi immigration checks it on arrival.

Documents Indian applicants need

• Passport scan — bio page, clear, all four corners visible, valid six months or more
• Photograph — recent, colour, white background, full face, no spectacles or head covering obscuring features
• Makkah hotel booking with a validated BRN
• Madinah hotel booking with a validated BRN (if staying in Madinah)
• Confirmed return or onward flight ticket
• Medical insurance (usually included in the visa fee)
• For children: passport plus accompanying parent or guardian details

How long the whole process takes

From complete documents to approved visa, one to three working days is normal. Allow longer if you are applying close to Ramadan, when volumes rise sharply across every provider.

Start at least three to four weeks before departure. That leaves room to correct a passport issue or rebook accommodation without touching your flights.

Common reasons Indian applications get delayed

• Name order differs between passport, flight booking and hotel booking
• Passport expires within six months of travel
• Hotel booking reference cannot be validated by Saudi systems
• Photograph taken against a coloured or patterned background
• Blurred or cropped passport scan