Umrah from Dubai: Visa, Nusuk Permits, By Road or By Air, and Costs

The short answer: UAE residents can perform Umrah on the Saudi tourist eVisa or on a dedicated Umrah visa – both cost close to SAR 300 (about AED 293) plus medical insurance – while Emirati nationals travel visa-free on their ID or passport. Whichever visa you hold, you still need a free Umrah permit, booked in the Nusuk app, before you can enter Masjid al-Haram. flydubai, Air Arabia and Etihad fly non-stop from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to Jeddah or Madinah in roughly 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes; driving via the Al Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border covers about 1,850–1,900 km to Makkah, and bus packages run the same road, typically over 18–25 hours each way. Holidayys does not sell Umrah packages or Nusuk permits; this guide is for working out the visa, the route and the cost yourself, or checking what a package you are offered should actually include.

Most people searching for this are UAE residents – expatriates of many nationalities, and Emiratis – planning their own Umrah trip, or comparing a bus package against flying and booking hotels directly. This guide covers the visa choice, the Nusuk permit, getting to Makkah and Madinah by air, road or bus, health rules, costs, and when Umrah pauses for the Hajj season.

Umrah from Dubai at a glance

	Umrah from Dubai
Visa, most UAE residents	Saudi tourist eVisa or dedicated Umrah visa, each about SAR 300 plus insurance
Visa, Emirati nationals	None – enter on Emirates ID or passport
Umrah permit	Free, booked in the Nusuk app; required to enter Masjid al-Haram
Flight time, Dubai/Sharjah/Abu Dhabi to Jeddah or Madinah	About 2h40–3h20 non-stop
Road distance, Dubai to Makkah	About 1,850–1,900 km via the Al Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border
Required vaccine	Quadrivalent meningococcal (ACWY), at least 10 days before arrival
Mahram for women	Not required, per the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Minimum age for a permit	5 years
Umrah season	1 Muharram to 30 Dhu al-Qi'dah; pauses for Hajj, projected mid-May 2027

Which visa do you need for Umrah from Dubai?

Three routes cover almost everyone travelling from the UAE.

Emirati nationals

Emiratis do not need a visa for Saudi Arabia. A valid UAE passport or Emirates ID is enough for entry, for stays of up to 90 days, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ confirms that the Umrah rules that apply to Saudi citizens also apply to GCC nationals – so an Emirati still needs the free Nusuk permit to enter Masjid al-Haram, just not a visa to enter the country.

UAE residents: the Saudi tourist eVisa

Expatriate residents of the UAE, and of the other five GCC states, have been able to apply for the Saudi tourist eVisa online since a 2022 policy change, regardless of profession since a further 2023 update, according to Gulf News and other reports from the time. The conditions reported are a GCC residence permit valid for at least three months on arrival, a passport valid for at least six months, and an applicant aged 18 or over (a parent applies on a child's behalf). The eVisa comes single-entry (three months to use it, stays of up to 30 days) or multiple-entry (valid a year, stays of up to 90 days a visit). The fee reported by Gulf News and Wego is SAR 300, plus mandatory medical insurance bundled into the application, which by some accounts varies a good deal by age. visitsaudi.com itself was not reachable while researching this guide, so treat SAR 300 plus insurance as a working estimate and check the total at checkout.

Gulf News, citing Saudi tourism authorities, reports that tourist eVisa holders may perform Umrah at any time except during the Hajj season, when the eVisa does not cover it – see the Umrah season dates below for the clearer, official reference point.

UAE residents: the dedicated Umrah visa

The alternative is Saudi Arabia's purpose-built Umrah visa, which the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah describes as an electronic visa that also lets you travel freely between Makkah, Madinah and other Saudi cities during your stay. Its own FAQ, last updated 20 September 2026, states the government fee as SAR 300 for pilgrims arriving from outside Saudi Arabia, with a stay of up to 90 days. You get it by designing your own Umrah programme on an approved platform such as Nusuk, or through a Ministry-licensed agent (needed if your country is not on the eVisa list) – either way, it cannot be issued without a confirmed hotel and transport booking through Nusuk or a compliant provider, which is why most bus and flight Umrah packages bundle the visa into the price rather than selling it separately.

Which one should you pick

Travelling independently and booking your own flights and hotels, the tourist eVisa is usually simpler, and also lets you see other parts of Saudi Arabia on the same trip, outside the Hajj season. Joining a bus or flight package, the operator will typically arrange the Umrah visa as part of the price, since it has to be tied to their hotel and transport booking anyway.

The Nusuk app: your Umrah permit and the Rawdah visit

Whichever visa you hold, Saudi Arabia controls entry to Masjid al-Haram through a separate, free Umrah permit, booked as a timed slot in the Nusuk app (install it from the official listing published by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and check the publisher). You register with your passport number, visa number, date of birth, nationality, mobile number and email, verify by SMS or app code, then pick an available date and time; the app issues a QR code for that slot, shown at the Haram entrance. The Ministry's FAQ gives the minimum age for an Umrah permit as 5 years, with no fixed limit on how many times you can perform Umrah in a year, though only one active permit can exist at a time – you cancel or let one expire before booking the next.

A separate permit, also booked in Nusuk, covers a visit to Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah, the area between the Prophet's tomb and pulpit in Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah; general prayer in the rest of the Prophet's Mosque needs no booking. The Ministry's FAQ, as it stood when we checked, sets the minimum interval between Rawdah visits at 30 days – shorter than some older, unofficial guides report, so rely on the app's own availability rather than a rule you read elsewhere. Both permits are also checked through the Tawakkalna app on arrival. One nuance: the same FAQ says a Nusuk permit can be issued without a completed vaccination record, in a section that reads as being about coronavirus status rather than the meningitis rule below – the permit and the health requirement sit with different authorities and are checked at different points, so meeting one does not excuse the other.

Getting to Makkah and Madinah from Dubai

By air

flydubai flies non-stop from Dubai to Madinah in roughly 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 5 minutes, and to Jeddah in about 3 hours to 3 hours 20 minutes; frequency varies by season. Air Arabia flies non-stop from Sharjah to both cities on a similar schedule. Etihad flies Abu Dhabi–Jeddah up to four times a day, and launched non-stop Abu Dhabi–Madinah in November 2025, building towards six flights a week.

By road

The only land crossing between the UAE and Saudi Arabia is at Al Ghuwaifat, on the western edge of Abu Dhabi emirate, opposite Saudi Arabia's Al Batha post, open around the clock. Route calculators put the drive from Dubai at about 1,850–1,900 km to Makkah and around 1,880 km to Madinah – both roughly 18–20 hours of driving before stops, border processing and rest breaks add more, on a trip most people split over two days. A UAE resident driving their own or a rented car can cross at a land port, per the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ, provided they hold a vehicle entry permit from the relevant authority or an authorised agent – arrange this before you set off, not at the border.

By bus

Coach operators run return Umrah trips from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi over the same Al Ghuwaifat–Al Batha road, typically as a nine-to-ten-day package bundling the Umrah visa, the coach journey, hotel nights in Makkah and Madinah, and sometimes meals. The outward drive takes the best part of a day once rest and prayer stops and the border crossing are added to the distance above; buses usually depart on a fixed weekly day rather than on demand. Because the Umrah visa has to be linked to a confirmed hotel and transport booking, the operator arranges it as part of the package rather than selling it separately. This is the route most UAE residents mean when they search for an "Umrah package from Dubai" or "Umrah by bus" – see costs below for the price ranges reported.

Between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah once you land

If you fly into Jeddah, the Haramain High-Speed Railway connects Jeddah's airport and city stations, King Abdullah Economic City, Makkah and Madinah at up to 300 km/h; recent reporting puts the full Makkah–Madinah run, via Jeddah, at a little over two hours. It is usually quicker and more comfortable than a road transfer, and runs separately from your Umrah visa's bundled transport, so check whether your package already includes it.

Health requirements before you travel

The Saudi Ministry of Health's Umrah health requirements document for 1447H (2026) requires everyone intending to perform Umrah, from every country, to be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis with either a quadrivalent or pentavalent ACWY conjugate vaccine (valid 5 years) or a quadrivalent ACWY polysaccharide vaccine (valid 3 years), given at least 10 days before arrival. The document requires a certificate to be shown specifically from a listed group of African countries, which does not include the UAE; in practice, airlines and Nusuk's application process commonly ask every applicant to show proof regardless of nationality, under a civil aviation circular that lets airlines check it at boarding, so carry your certificate anyway.

The same document requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination or recent recovery only from travellers aged over 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions – not a general requirement. Polio and yellow fever rules apply only to arrivals from specific African, Asian and American countries, not the UAE. Seasonal flu is recommended, not required. Saudi health authorities also advise the usual precautions for Makkah and Madinah's crowds and heat – drinking enough water, wearing a mask during the rites, and avoiding contact with farm animals and anyone visibly unwell.

Women travelling without a mahram, and children

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ states plainly that a woman is allowed to come to perform Umrah without a mahram (male guardian). Some operator and travel-blog guides still describe age or group conditions, applied inconsistently by individual Umrah offices and airlines rather than set out as a current official rule, so ask your airline or visa agent directly if you are travelling solo.

Children can perform Umrah and enter the Haram courtyards from 5 years old, per the same FAQ; younger children are not issued an Umrah visa or permit, and there is no stated upper age limit.

What Umrah from Dubai costs

Item	Reported cost
Tourist eVisa, government fee	About SAR 300 (roughly AED 293)
Tourist eVisa, mandatory insurance	Reported from roughly SAR 100 up to SAR 250 or more, age-dependent
Umrah visa, government fee	SAR 300, confirmed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ
Umrah visa, mandatory insurance	Reported at roughly SAR 100–180
Bus package (9–10 days, visa, coach, hotels bundled)	Reported from around AED 1,100 up to AED 2,650 a person, by hotel grade, room sharing and season
Flight-based trip	Visa and insurance above, plus return airfare and hotels – no single figure is published, since it depends on airline, dates and hotel choice

These figures mix official fee pages with travel-sector reporting from 2023 to 2026, so treat them as a starting point, not today's exact price. Bus packages rise sharply in the run-up to Ramadan and in its last ten days; one 2023 report put a late-Ramadan package at roughly 60 per cent more than the same trip booked earlier in the year. A flight-based trip costs more once airfare is added – compare total cost, not the visa fee alone.

When Umrah pauses: Hajj season and Ramadan crowds

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ sets the Umrah season as running from 1 Muharram to 30 Dhu al-Qi'dah – it pauses through Dhu al-Hijjah, the month that contains the Hajj, and Umrah visas resume from 15 Dhu al-Hijjah. Hajj 2027 (1448H) is projected, from the Umm al-Qura calendar, around 14–16 May 2027, confirmed only by moon sighting closer to the time; expect the pause to run roughly the first two weeks of Dhu al-Hijjah, and build in a buffer on both sides if planning a trip near that period.

Outside the Hajj pause, the busiest and most expensive period is Ramadan, projected to begin around 8 February 2027 – see our Ramadan 2027 in the UAE guide for expected dates and how the month affects UAE working hours. Demand and prices in Makkah and Madinah peak in Ramadan's final ten days; travelling in Shaban, just before Ramadan, or outside school holidays, makes for a calmer, cheaper trip. The days around UAE public holidays also get busier for flights and buses – see our UAE public holidays 2027 guide and our Eid Al Adha 2027 guide for the UAE's own break dates.

Ihram and miqat if you are flying from the UAE

Ihram is the state you enter before crossing the miqat, the boundary beyond which you cannot proceed towards Makkah without it. Flying from the UAE to Jeddah, most Umrah and travel-operator guides advise entering ihram – the clothing and the intention – before boarding or at the home airport, since the flight crosses the relevant boundary over Saudi airspace well before landing. Airlines and tour groups commonly announce the approach so passengers can be ready, but practice varies by carrier, so confirm the exact point with your airline or group leader.

Coming back to the UAE

An Umrah trip is usually a matter of days, so it rarely touches UAE residence rules at all. The one rule worth knowing: a UAE residence visa (other than a Golden Visa) is automatically cancelled if the holder stays outside the country for more than 180 consecutive days, according to ICP – a short Umrah trip is nowhere near that. Make sure your residence visa, passport and Emirates ID all still have enough validity to return on; none of this is specific to Umrah, but all are worth checking before any trip abroad.

What we can help with

Holidayys does not sell Umrah packages, book Nusuk permits, or arrange hotels, transport or buses in Makkah and Madinah – that side of the trip is yours to arrange directly, through Nusuk, a licensed Umrah operator, or a bus package as set out above. What we do arrange is the Saudi visa itself, from AED 635, for UAE residents who want help with the tourist eVisa application, whether the trip includes Umrah outside the Hajj season or is a wider Saudi Arabia visit. For the fuller rundown of Saudi visa types, documents and costs beyond this guide's Umrah focus, see our Saudi visa for UAE residents guide. Message us on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page if you would like us to handle the visa paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Saudi tourist eVisa let UAE residents perform Umrah?

Yes, outside the Hajj season. Gulf News, citing Saudi tourism authorities, reports that tourist eVisa holders may perform Umrah at any time except during the Hajj season, when the eVisa does not cover it; you also still need the free Umrah permit booked in the Nusuk app.

How much does an Umrah visa cost from Dubai?

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ sets the government fee at SAR 300 (about AED 293) for pilgrims arriving from outside Saudi Arabia, plus mandatory medical insurance reported at roughly SAR 100–180. That covers the visa only; hotels, transport and any bus or flight package cost extra, and the visa must be linked to a confirmed hotel and transport booking through Nusuk or a compliant provider.

How long does it take to drive from Dubai to Makkah?

Route calculators put the distance at roughly 1,850–1,900 km via the Al Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border crossing, which works out to about 18–20 hours of driving before stops, border processing and rest breaks add more. Most people split the drive over two days.

Do I need the meningitis vaccine for Umrah?

Yes. The Saudi Ministry of Health's Umrah health requirements document requires everyone performing Umrah, from any country, to hold a quadrivalent meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine – a conjugate dose valid for 5 years or a polysaccharide dose valid for 3 years – given at least 10 days before arrival. Airlines can check for it at boarding.

Can women perform Umrah from the UAE without a mahram?

Yes. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ states plainly that a woman is allowed to come to perform Umrah without a male guardian. Some operators and older guides still describe age or group conditions, so confirm with your airline or visa agent if you are travelling solo.

When does Umrah stop for the Hajj season in 2027?

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sets the Umrah season as 1 Muharram to 30 Dhu al-Qi'dah, resuming from 15 Dhu al-Hijjah. Hajj 2027 is projected around 14–16 May 2027 based on the Umm al-Qura calendar, so expect the pause to cover roughly the first half of Dhu al-Hijjah; the exact dates are confirmed only by moon sighting closer to the time.

Related guides

• Saudi visa for UAE residents: eVisa, cost and Umrah rules
• Visa photo size guide
• Ramadan 2027 in the UAE
• UAE public holidays 2027
• Eid Al Adha 2027 in the UAE

Last checked 9 October 2026 against the Saudi Ministry of Health's Health Requirements and Recommendations for Travelers to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (1447H/2026), the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's FAQ on haj.gov.sa (last updated 20 September 2026), the Nusuk Umrah platform, Gulf News and Wego reporting on visitsaudi.com's tourist eVisa rules, and flydubai, Air Arabia and Etihad route information. This guide is general information, not visa, medical or religious advice. Confirm current visa, permit, health and fare details with Nusuk, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, your airline or a licensed Umrah agent before you travel.