Most Nigerian passport holders can’t use Saudi Arabia’s online tourist eVisa, so getting an Umrah visa from Nigeria works a little differently from many other countries. This guide explains which visa you need, the steps to get it, the documents and vaccinations Saudi Arabia asks for, and the dates that matter this season.
Which visa can you use for Umrah?
There are two possible routes, and your passport and travel history decide which one applies to you.
- The Umrah visa. This is the route for most Nigerians. It’s issued for Umrah specifically and is arranged through a licensed Umrah provider, together with your hotel booking.
- The Saudi tourist eVisa. It can also be used for Umrah outside the Hajj period, but Nigeria isn’t on the list of countries that can apply for it directly. There’s one exception: if you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa that you’ve already used to enter that country, or you’re a permanent resident of the US, UK or an EU country, you may qualify. Check your eligibility on Saudi Arabia’s official visa portal before you rely on it.
If neither exception applies to you, plan on the Umrah visa.
How to get an Umrah visa from Nigeria, step by step
- Choose a licensed operator and a package. In Nigeria, Umrah operators are licensed by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The operator works with a Saudi Umrah company to arrange your visa, hotels and transport.
- Check your passport. It should be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with blank pages.
- Get your vaccinations. You’ll need certificates for meningitis, yellow fever and polio (details below). Some must be given weeks before you travel, so start early.
- Send your documents to your operator. Usually a scan of your passport’s data page and a recent photo on a white background.
- Your hotel is registered on Nusuk. Since June 2025, Saudi Arabia only issues an Umrah visa once your hotel booking is recorded on its official Nusuk Masar platform. A licensed operator does this for you.
- Give your fingerprints if asked. Saudi Arabia may require biometrics before the visa is issued. Your operator will tell you if and where you need to go.
- Receive your e-visa. The visa is issued electronically and linked to your passport. Print a copy to carry.
- Book your permits in the Nusuk app. Once in Saudi Arabia, you book a time slot for Umrah, and for a visit to the Rawdah in Madinah, through the free Nusuk app.
Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk Umrah platform also lets some pilgrims abroad apply directly, without an agent. Availability depends on your country of residence, so most Nigerians still go through a licensed operator, who handles the hotel registration and visa together.
Documents you’ll need
- A Nigerian passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages
- A recent passport photo on a white background
- Your confirmed hotel booking, registered on Nusuk (your operator arranges this)
- A return flight booking
- Vaccination certificates for meningitis, yellow fever and polio
Health requirements for travellers from Nigeria
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health sets these rules for Umrah pilgrims. Nigeria is on its lists for yellow fever and polio, so travellers from Nigeria need more than most.
- Meningitis (meningococcal ACYW). Required for everyone aged one and over, at least 10 days before arrival. A conjugate vaccine is valid for five years; a polysaccharide vaccine for three years. If your certificate doesn’t say which type you had, it’s treated as valid for three years.
- Yellow fever. Required for travellers from Nigeria aged nine months and over. The certificate is valid for life, from 10 days after the vaccination.
- Polio. Travellers from Nigeria need at least one dose of IPV in the last 12 months (or OPV in the last six months), given at least four weeks before arrival.
- COVID-19 and flu. Recommended, and proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be asked of older pilgrims and people with chronic conditions.
Requirements are updated each season, so check the latest version with your operator or the Saudi Ministry of Health’s Umrah health requirements before you travel.
How Kasfah Hajj Travels can help
Kasfah Hajj Travels is licensed by NAHCON for both Hajj and Umrah. On our December Umrah from Lagos and Abuja, which starts from ₦4,000,000 per person, our team handles your visa application alongside your flights, 5-star hotels and transport, and a scholar travels with the group. See the December package from Nigeria, or contact us if you’d like help with the visa for different dates.
How long it takes and how long it lasts
- Processing time. Saudi Arabia doesn’t publish a fixed processing time. Once your hotel is registered and your documents are in, Umrah visas are often issued within a few working days, but allow more time in busy periods.
- Entry deadline. You must enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of the visa being issued, or it lapses.
- Length of stay. Up to 90 days, but never past the season’s final departure date.
- The one-year Umrah visa. In July 2026 Saudi Arabia introduced a one-year, multiple-entry Umrah visa, allowing up to 90 days in total. Each visit still needs a Nusuk package and permit. Ask your operator whether it suits your plans.
Key dates for the 1448 Umrah season
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has published the calendar for this season. Umrah visas aren’t issued from about two months before Hajj until a few days after it.
| What | Date |
|---|---|
| Last day Umrah visas are issued | 1 Shawwal 1448 (9 March 2027) |
| Last day to enter Saudi Arabia | 15 Shawwal 1448 (23 March 2027) |
| Last day to leave Saudi Arabia | 30 Shawwal 1448 (7 April 2027) |
Gregorian dates depend on the moon sighting and can move by a day. Umrah visas usually reopen a few days after Hajj.
Mistakes to avoid
- Paying an unlicensed agent. Unlicensed operators have taken pilgrims’ money and disappeared. Check that your operator appears on NAHCON’s list of licensed Umrah companies before you pay.
- Overstaying. Leaving after your visa or the season’s final departure date can lead to fines, detention and a ban on returning. Saudi Arabia also fines Umrah companies whose pilgrims overstay.
- Booking too close to the cut-off. Late in the season, visas and hotels get harder to arrange. If you’re aiming for Ramadan, book early.
- Using the wrong visa during Hajj. Only a Hajj visa allows you to perform Hajj. Umrah and tourist visas don’t.
Frequently asked questions
Can Nigerians get the Saudi tourist eVisa?
Not on a Nigerian passport alone. You may qualify if you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa that you’ve used to enter that country, or permanent residency in the US, UK or EU. Otherwise you need an Umrah visa through a licensed provider. Our Saudi visa guide explains the different visa types.
How much is an Umrah visa from Nigeria?
Saudi Arabia sets the visa fee, and every pilgrim also needs its mandatory health insurance. When you book a package, the visa is often included or arranged as part of it, so ask your operator exactly what their price covers. Our guide to how much Umrah costs from Nigeria breaks down the full cost of the trip.
How long does it take to get an Umrah visa from Nigeria?
Usually a few working days once your hotel is registered on Nusuk and your documents are complete, though there’s no guaranteed processing time. Apply well before your travel date, especially for December and Ramadan.
Can a woman get an Umrah visa without a mahram?
Yes. Saudi Arabia no longer requires women to travel with a mahram for Umrah. Under-18s must travel with a parent or another adult family member.
Can I apply for an Umrah visa myself?
Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk Umrah platform lets some pilgrims apply directly, but what’s available depends on your country of residence. Most pilgrims from Nigeria use a licensed operator, who registers the hotel booking the visa depends on. Either way, check that anyone you pay is licensed by NAHCON.