The Umrah Visa is the permit that allows the pilgrim to enter the domains of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Umrah Visa is valid for a maximum of 30 days, and the pilgrim is not allowed to take up residence or work during the stay. The Saudi authorities ask you to apply for the Umrah visa through a registered travel agency.

There are times, especially in the Ramadan, when the immigration authorities encourage pilgrims to leave Saudi Arabia a bit early to manage the pilgrim population better. Please be advised that the Saudi authorities have begun collecting an Umrah tax of 2,000 Saudi Riyals from pilgrims who have already performed an Umrah in the last two years. As per Saudi rules, women under the age of 45 must be accompanied by a male guardian called a mahram.

There are a few things that the intending pilgrim needs to keep in mind when filling out the form and to apply for the Umrah Visa. They are as follows:

• When completing the Umrah application form, please do not forget to read and understand the legal commitment you make that is written at the end of the application form before signing the document.

• In case your name is not traditionally Muslim , or you are a new convert, please ask the local Islamic Centre or Mosque to certify that you are indeed a Muslim and attach that certificate with your application form.

• We require three passport size photographs with a blue background to initiate your Umrah permit process. Please make sure that your passport picture is recent and clear. The image should show the full face of the traveller, with the pilgrim looking directly into the camera with a neutral expression.

• Your Pakistani passport should not expire for at least six months at the time of submitting the Umrah application to the Saudi Embassy.

• If a lady, less than 45 years of age, is travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah with a mahram then she is required to submit a proof of relationship with the said male guardian. The ‘proof of relationship’ would be the marriage certificate if she is travelling with her husband or a birth certificate if she is travelling with her father or brother. The birth certificate must specify the name of both parents for it to hold validity. The mahram is also required to accompany the female pilgrim both in and out of Saudi Arabia on the same flight. The airline tickets should be confirmed and non-refundable.

• Women who are above the age of 45 years can travel without a mahram to KSA for Umrah. They, however, need a ‘Letter of No Objection’ from their husband, father or brother. This letter must be notarised and duly signed by the male guardian of the family.

• Since the Haram is a place where Muslims from all corners of the world are welcomed as guests of Allah, safeguarding their health and preventing the spread of disease also becomes a priority for the Saudi government during their stay. The Saudi authorities require that the pilgrim visiting the Holy Mosques in Mecca and Madinah must be vaccinated against Meningococcal Meningitis. The certificate of the vaccination should state that the pilgrim was immunised more than ten days but less than three years ago against the disease. This certificate should be presented before the immigration officer at the point of entry in Saudi Arabia.

• The Saudi authorities would much appreciate if the pilgrim is vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus and Hepatitis B. It is not a strict requirement but an encouraged precaution that the Saudi government wants all pilgrims to adopt before coming for Umrah to KSA. Children and infants accompanying the pilgrims are requested to be vaccinated against the diseases mentioned above and especially against polio.