Umrah eSIM: stay connected in Makkah and Madinah

With maps, messaging and photo sharing, most travelers use 0.5–1 GB a day; daily video calls push that higher.

• 7–10 day Umrah, messages and maps: 3 GB · 15 days
• 10–15 days, occasional video calls: 5 GB · 30 days
• 10–15 days, daily video calls with family: 10 GB · 30 days
• Longer than 15 days, or sharing data with a companion: 20 GB · 30 days

If your data runs out during the trip, you can add a top-up to the same eSIM — no new QR code needed. For city and network details, see Saudi Arabia eSIM.

Three things must be in place before you travel. Rules can change by season, so check the latest status on official channels (the Saudi eVisa portal and Nusuk) before you apply.

Visa

Depending on your nationality, you can perform Umrah on an Umrah visa arranged through an agency or, for eligible countries, on the Saudi tourist eVisa, which also allows Umrah. Your passport is generally required to be valid for at least 6 months, and health insurance is linked to the visa application.

Nusuk permit

A visa lets you enter the country; to perform Umrah in Masjid al-Haram you also book a dated, timed Umrah permit in the Nusuk app. A visit to the Rawdah in Madinah needs its own separate Nusuk appointment. If you travel with an agency, they usually arrange these permits, but install the app anyway — the permit screen opens online at the gate.

Vaccination

Saudi Arabia requires a meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination for Umrah pilgrims. Get it at a travel health clinic and carry your vaccination certificate with your passport.

Most pilgrims fly into Jeddah or Madinah. When choosing your route, think about where you will enter ihram:

• Makkah first (landing in Jeddah): the plane crosses the miqat in the air, so ihram is entered before departure or on board before reaching the miqat. You perform Umrah, then travel to Madinah.
• Madinah first (landing in Madinah): you stay without ihram in Madinah and enter it at the Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali) miqat on your way to Makkah.

The Haramain High Speed Railway links Makkah, Jeddah (including the King Abdulaziz Airport station) and Madinah: under an hour from the airport to Makkah and about two hours to Madinah. You need data for tickets and timetables. In the cities Careem and Uber are widely used; save your hotel location on the map.

Your hotel decides how much time you can give to worship.

Makkah

Walking distance to the Haram (around the Clock Tower / Abraj Al Bait and Ibrahim Al Khalil Road): the most expensive area, but you can walk to every prayer. Districts further out such as Aziziyah are more affordable; you reach the Haram by shuttle or bus, and journeys take longer at peak times.

Madinah

Most hotels are in the central area around Masjid an-Nabawi; for elderly travelers or anyone who finds walking hard, a hotel close to the gates makes a real difference.

Tip: to avoid getting lost in the crowds, save your hotel name and location on your phone and screenshot its name in Arabic.

The essential acts of Umrah are ihram, tawaf, sa'i and shaving or trimming the hair. In short:

1. Ihram: at the miqat (or before reaching it if you fly), put on ihram, make the intention for Umrah and recite the talbiyah.
2. Tawaf: circle the Kaaba seven times, starting in line with the Black Stone, then pray two rak'ahs.
3. Sa'i: walk between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, starting at Safa.
4. Halq or taqsir: men shave or shorten their hair, women cut a small amount from the end of their hair; this completes Umrah and ends the state of ihram.

For full guidance and supplications, follow a trusted Umrah guide or your group's scholar, who will lead you through each step.

Most pilgrims spend a few days in Madinah. Besides prayer in Masjid an-Nabawi and a visit to the Rawdah, frequently visited places include:

• Quba Mosque: the first mosque in Islam.
• Mount Uhud and the Uhud martyrs' cemetery
• Masjid al-Qiblatayn: the mosque where the qibla changed.

In Makkah, group tours visit Jabal al-Nour (Cave of Hira), Jabal Thawr, Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. Tour times and meeting points are usually shared in WhatsApp groups — another reason to keep your data on.

• Ramadan: the most rewarding and the busiest time; hotels and permits fill early, especially in the last ten nights.
• School holidays: busy with family groups.
• November–February: cooler weather; in summer Makkah regularly passes 40 °C.
• Hajj season: every year Umrah permits pause for a few weeks before Hajj; check the dates in Nusuk. Going for Hajj? See Hajj eSIM.

• Passport valid for at least 6 months, visa approved
• Meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination certificate with your passport
• Nusuk app installed; Umrah and Rawdah permits booked
• Phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked
• eSIM installed and named
• A copy of the QR code saved on another device or printed
• Data roaming off on your home SIM
• Nusuk and map apps installed and signed in
• Power bank and Type G plug adapter packed