Last reviewed: July 2027 | Written by our UK Umrah support desk | Reading time: 16 minutes
Quick answer: The Nusuk permit is a free digital time-slot booking issued through Saudi Arabia’s official Nusuk platform, and yes, you need one. It is completely separate from your visa: the visa lets you enter the country, the permit lets you perform Umrah at Masjid al-Haram. Gate staff scan a QR code rather than checking your passport, so a valid visa without a permit will not get you in.
There are two documents standing between a UK pilgrim and the Kaaba, and most people only know about one of them. The visa gets a lot of attention because it costs money and involves an application. The permit gets almost none, because it is free and takes two minutes — right up until someone is turned away at a gate holding a perfectly valid visa.
This page explains what the permit actually is, which permits exist, when they are suspended entirely, and what happens if you try to proceed without one. That last part has become considerably more serious in recent years.
Want your permits and registration handled as part of a package? Message us on WhatsApp for a live quote
What Is the Nusuk Permit?
The Nusuk permit is a digital booking that grants you access to perform a specific act of worship at a specific time. It is issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah through Nusuk, their official platform, and it produces a QR code that is scanned at the entrance.
What the Permit Is For
Saudi Arabia now receives many millions of Umrah pilgrims a year. The Haram has a finite capacity, and the permit system exists to distribute arrivals across time slots rather than allowing everyone to turn up at Maghrib on a Friday.
It is crowd management, not bureaucracy for its own sake. Whether that makes it less irritating when you cannot find a slot is another question, but the reasoning is sound and the system has genuinely reduced dangerous overcrowding.
Is the Nusuk Permit Free?
Yes, entirely. There is no government charge for an Umrah permit or a Rawdah permit. Anyone charging you specifically for a permit is charging a service fee for booking it on your behalf, not passing on a cost.
This is worth knowing because permit-selling is a recurring scam. Permits are tied to your own Nusuk account and cannot legitimately be transferred or sold.
Which App Do I Need?
Nusuk is the platform for international pilgrims and replaced the older Eatmarna system entirely. If you find guidance referring to Eatmarna, it is out of date. Some Saudi residents and GCC nationals also access permits through Tawakkalna, but UK pilgrims use Nusuk.
Nusuk Permit vs Umrah Visa — The Difference That Matters
This is the distinction that causes the most trouble, so it is worth being precise.
| Umrah Visa | Nusuk Permit | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Lets you enter Saudi Arabia | Lets you perform Umrah at the Haram |
| Issued by | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Ministry of Hajj and Umrah |
| Cost | Around £108 – £118 | Free |
| When you get it | 3–4 weeks before travel | After your visa, before you fly |
| Checked by | Airline and immigration | Gate staff at the Haram |
| Format | PDF document | QR code in the app |
| Time-limited | 30 days to enter | Specific time slot |
Why People Confuse Them
Both are called permissions, both are digital, both come from Saudi authorities, and travel agents often refer to handling your paperwork without distinguishing between them. It is entirely understandable that pilgrims assume one covers the other.
The practical consequence is specific: you can arrive in Jeddah legally, reach your hotel in Makkah, walk to the Haram, and be stopped at the gate. The visa was never the thing being checked there.
The rule in one line: Your visa gets you into the country. Your permit gets you into the mosque. You need both, they are booked separately, and neither substitutes for the other.
Does My Visa Type Affect the Permit?
No. Whether you hold a tourist eVisa or a dedicated Umrah visa, you need a Nusuk permit to perform Umrah. The permit requirement applies to every visa type equally.
The Four Permits You Might Need
Nusuk issues several different permits, and knowing which apply to you avoids booking the wrong thing.
1. The Umrah Permit
Your time-slot booking to perform Umrah at Masjid al-Haram. This is the one every pilgrim needs. It is free, generally available outside peak periods, and you can book multiple permits across a trip outside Ramadan.
2. The Rawdah Permit
A separate booking for the Rawdah, or Riyadul Jannah, inside Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah. This is by far the hardest to obtain — limited to one per person every 365 days, roughly ten minutes inside, and with separate hours for men and women.
Our Rawdah booking guide covers slot release timing and what to do when nothing is available.
3. Prayer Permits at the Grand Mosque
At certain periods, particularly during Ramadan and around peak days, additional permits have been required for prayer at the Grand Mosque beyond the Umrah permit itself. Requirements here vary considerably by season.
4. Makkah Entry Permits
Distinct from the others and worth understanding. During the Hajj period, entry into the city of Makkah itself is restricted, and permits or a Hajj visa become necessary regardless of what other documentation you hold.
Do I Need a Permit Just to Pray in the Mosques?
Outside restricted periods, no. The wider areas of Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi are generally open for prayer without a booking. Permits apply to performing Umrah specifically and to the Rawdah area, not to ordinary prayer.
Many pilgrims do not realise this and assume every visit needs a booking. You can pray at the Haram freely; it is the Umrah ritual itself that is slot-managed.
The Umrah Season Calendar — When Permits Stop Entirely
This is the part almost no UK-facing guide explains properly, and it catches out pilgrims planning spring travel every single year.
Umrah Has a Season
Umrah runs on the Islamic calendar as an annual season, and it closes completely for a period around Hajj. During that window, Umrah visa issuance stops, Nusuk permit issuance is suspended for all categories, and pilgrims already in the country must leave by a published date.
The Typical Annual Pattern
| Phase | Roughly When | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Season open | Most of the year | Visas and permits issued normally |
| Visa cut-off | Weeks before Hajj | Last date for Umrah visa issuance |
| Departure deadline | Before Hajj | All Umrah pilgrims must have left |
| Full suspension | Dhul Qi’dah – Dhul Hijjah | Permits suspended for everyone |
| Season reopens | After Hajj concludes | Visas resume, then permits days later |
Important: These dates move roughly eleven days earlier each year with the Islamic calendar, and exact cut-offs are published annually by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Never book non-refundable travel for the spring period without checking the current season calendar first.
Why This Catches UK Pilgrims Out
Because the closure lands in a window that looks perfectly reasonable from a UK perspective. Families see cheap flights, school holidays and no obvious reason not to travel — and the season is shut.
The suspension applies to everyone, including Saudi citizens and residents. It is not a restriction on foreign pilgrims that might be negotiable; the permit system simply stops issuing.
Booking around the boundary
If your dates fall anywhere near the season edges, book with an agent or package provider who is tracking the current calendar rather than relying on last year’s dates. The eleven-day annual shift means a date that was fine last year may not be this year.
Reopening Congestion
When the season reopens, visas typically resume a few days before permits become available, and there is a backlog of pilgrims all submitting at once. Expect slower processing and tighter permit availability in the first couple of weeks of a new season.
Travelling near the season boundary? Let us check your dates: Message us on WhatsApp for a live quote
What Happens If You Do Not Have a Permit
The consequences range from inconvenient to genuinely serious, depending on what you are attempting and when.
Turned Away at the Gate
The everyday outcome. Gate staff scan QR codes, and without one you are directed away. There is no discretion at the gate and no arguing your way through — the staff are not empowered to admit you.
This is recoverable. Book a permit for a later slot and return. It costs you time and, if you are on a short trip, potentially a meaningful chunk of it.
Penalties During Restricted Periods
This is where it becomes serious. During the Hajj restriction window, Saudi authorities have publicised substantial financial penalties for entering or attempting to enter Makkah and the holy sites without valid authorisation.
Reported penalties have included fines in the region of SAR 20,000 for individuals, deportation, and multi-year bans on re-entry. Considerably higher fines have been announced for anyone facilitating unauthorised access — transporting, housing or assisting.
Overstaying Your Umrah Visa
Separate from permits but worth stating here, because the two combine badly. Remaining in Saudi Arabia beyond your permitted period during the season closure carries fines, deportation and re-entry bans.
Our honest view on this
We include these figures not to alarm anyone but because pilgrims occasionally receive advice suggesting rules can be worked around. They cannot, the enforcement is real, and the consequences fall on the pilgrim rather than on whoever gave the advice.
What Is Not a Penalty Situation
- Simply not having booked a permit yet — book one and proceed normally
- Missing an Umrah permit slot, which carries no long-term consequence
- Praying at the Haram without an Umrah permit outside restricted periods
The serious penalties attach to restricted-period violations and overstays, not to ordinary permit administration.
How to Get Your Nusuk Permit
The full registration process is covered in our Nusuk app guide. Here is the shape of it so you know what is involved.
The Sequence
- Obtain your Umrah visa first — the permit system needs your visa number
- Wait 24 to 48 hours for your visa details to sync into the Saudi system
- Download the official Nusuk app and register as a Visitor
- Verify your account by OTP and add every family member as a companion
- Open Holy Mosque Services and book your Umrah permit slot
- Book your Rawdah permit separately, ideally weeks in advance
- Screenshot every QR code and save it offline before you fly
Book Before You Fly, Not After You Land
You do not need to be in Saudi Arabia to book permits. Umrah slots are generally available in advance, and Rawdah slots are considerably easier to secure from the UK than from a hotel room in Madinah with unreliable wifi.
Why the Screenshot Matters
Haram wifi is unreliable and mobile data around the gates is congested at peak times. A screenshot of your QR code scans exactly the same as a live screen and does not depend on connectivity at the worst possible moment.
Can Someone Else Book My Permit?
A family member can book on your behalf if you are linked as companions on one account, which is how most UK families manage it. Third-party apps and agent portals cannot substitute for your own Nusuk account.
Permits and Your Package
What a Package Changes
Permits themselves are free and issued by the ministry regardless of how you book. What a package changes is everything around them.
- Nusuk-compliant hotel and transport bookings, which your visa depends on
- Registration support for every traveller including elderly parents
- Permit timing guidance built around your actual arrival
- Rawdah availability monitoring across your Madinah nights
- Season calendar checking so your dates do not fall into a closure
Umrah Package Prices from the UK 2027
All prices per person, including return flights from your nearest UK airport, hotels in both holy cities, Umrah visa processing, Nusuk-compliant transport and all transfers.
| Duration | 3 Star | 4 Star | 5 Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 nights Umrah package | £499 pp | £629 pp | £799 pp |
| 10 nights Umrah package | £579 pp | £719 pp | £899 pp |
| 12 nights Umrah package | £629 pp | £769 pp | £969 pp |
| 14 nights Umrah package | £679 pp | £839 pp | £1,049 pp |
Prices are per person based on quad sharing on off-peak departures. Ramadan and school-holiday dates carry a seasonal premium.
Does Package Length Affect Your Permits?
Not for the Umrah permit, which is available throughout your stay. It matters a great deal for the Rawdah, where more nights in Madinah means more dates on which a slot might appear.
A 7 nights Umrah package at £499 per person typically gives around three Madinah nights. Our 12 nights Umrah package at £629 and 14 nights Umrah package at £679 give five or six, which materially improves your odds.
How Many Umrahs Can You Perform?
Outside Ramadan you can book multiple Umrah permits during one trip, typically with a gap of several days between them, taking ihram again from Masjid Aisha at Tan’eem. During Ramadan the ministry restricts pilgrims to one Umrah for the month.
On our 10 nights Umrah package at £579 per person, pilgrims commonly perform Umrah two or three times outside Ramadan. On a seven-night trip the schedule is tighter and most manage one or two.
Want a package that handles permits and registration? Message us on WhatsApp for a live quote
Frequently Asked Questions
Basic Questions
What is the Nusuk permit?
A free digital time-slot booking issued through Saudi Arabia’s official Nusuk platform that grants access to perform Umrah at Masjid al-Haram. It produces a QR code scanned at the gate and is separate from your visa.
Do I need a Nusuk permit for Umrah?
Yes. All international pilgrims need one regardless of visa type or nationality. Gate staff scan a QR code rather than checking your passport, so a valid visa alone will not admit you.
Is the Nusuk permit the same as an Umrah visa?
No, they are entirely separate. The visa is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and lets you enter Saudi Arabia. The permit is issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and lets you perform Umrah at the Haram.
Is the Nusuk permit free?
Yes, completely. There is no government charge for Umrah or Rawdah permits. Anyone charging specifically for a permit is charging a service fee for booking it, not passing on a cost.
Can I buy a Nusuk permit from an agent?
Permits are tied to your own Nusuk account and cannot legitimately be sold or transferred. An agent can help you book one, but anyone selling permits as a product is not describing a real service.
Is Nusuk the same as Eatmarna?
Nusuk replaced Eatmarna entirely. If you find guidance referring to Eatmarna, it is out of date. Some Saudi residents use Tawakkalna, but UK pilgrims use Nusuk.
Do I need a permit if I have a tourist eVisa?
Yes. The permit requirement applies equally to tourist eVisa and dedicated Umrah visa holders. Your visa type does not change whether you need a permit.
Permit Types Questions
How many types of Nusuk permit are there?
The main ones are the Umrah permit for Masjid al-Haram and the Rawdah permit for Masjid an-Nabawi. Additional prayer permits and Makkah entry permits apply during certain restricted periods.
Is the Rawdah permit separate from the Umrah permit?
Yes, entirely separate bookings made in the same app. The Rawdah permit is far harder to obtain, limited to one per person every 365 days, with separate hours for men and women.
Do I need a permit just to pray at the Haram?
Outside restricted periods, no. The wider mosque areas are generally open for prayer without a booking. Permits apply to performing Umrah specifically and to the Rawdah area.
What is a Makkah entry permit?
A separate authorisation controlling entry to the city of Makkah itself, which becomes necessary during the Hajj restriction period regardless of what other documentation you hold.
Season and Timing Questions
Are Nusuk permits ever suspended?
Yes. Permit issuance is suspended entirely for a period around Hajj each year, for all categories including Saudi citizens and residents. Umrah visa issuance stops before this and resumes after Hajj concludes.
When does the Umrah season close?
For a window around Hajj, with exact cut-off dates published annually by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The dates move roughly eleven days earlier each year with the Islamic calendar, so always check current figures.
Can I travel for Umrah during Hajj season?
No. Umrah visa issuance stops and permits are suspended. Pilgrims already in the country must leave by a published departure deadline, and entering Makkah without valid authorisation carries serious penalties.
When should I book my Umrah permit?
After your visa is issued and your Nusuk account is verified, which is 24 to 48 hours later. Book from the UK before you fly rather than waiting until you arrive.
Can I book permits before arriving in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, and you should. Umrah slots are generally available in advance, and Rawdah slots are considerably easier to secure from the UK than from a hotel room with unreliable wifi.
Is the system busier when the season reopens?
Yes. Visas typically resume a few days before permits become available, and a backlog of waiting pilgrims all submits at once. Expect slower processing and tighter availability in the first couple of weeks.
Enforcement Questions
What happens if I go to the Haram without a permit?
Gate staff will turn you away. There is no discretion at the gate. Book a permit for a later slot and return — inconvenient, but recoverable with no long-term consequence.
Are there penalties for entering Makkah without authorisation?
During the Hajj restriction period, yes and they are substantial. Reported penalties include fines around SAR 20,000, deportation and multi-year re-entry bans, with much higher fines for anyone facilitating unauthorised access.
What happens if I miss my Umrah permit slot?
Nothing serious. You can book another slot. This differs sharply from the Rawdah permit, where failing to cancel a booking can block you from rebooking for a full year.
What are the penalties for overstaying an Umrah visa?
Fines, deportation and bans on re-entry. This becomes particularly serious around the season closure, when all Umrah pilgrims are required to have left by a published date.
Practical Questions
How do I get my Nusuk permit?
Get your visa first, wait 24 to 48 hours for it to sync, register on the Nusuk app as a Visitor, verify by OTP, then book under Holy Mosque Services. Screenshot the QR code immediately.
Do I need my visa before booking a permit?
Yes. The permit system validates against your visa number, so you cannot register or book anything until your visa has been issued and has synced into the system.
Can someone else book my permit for me?
A family member can if you are linked as companions on one account, which is how most UK families manage it. Third-party apps and agent portals cannot substitute for your own Nusuk account.
What if my QR code will not load at the gate?
Use a screenshot saved to your photo album. Haram wifi is unreliable and mobile data around the gates is congested at peak times, and a screenshot scans exactly the same.
Do children need Nusuk permits?
Very young children and infants generally do not, while older children do. The exact age threshold is set within the app and varies by season, so check current requirements for your travel dates.
Can I cancel an Umrah permit?
Yes, through the app up to four hours before your slot, with no penalty. Cancelling releases it to another pilgrim, so please do it rather than simply not attending.
Package Questions
Does my package include Nusuk permits?
Permits are free and issued by the ministry, so nobody can include them as a paid item. What we include is registration support, permit timing guidance, Rawdah monitoring and the compliant bookings your visa depends on.
How many Umrahs can I perform on one trip?
Outside Ramadan you can book multiple permits with a gap of several days between them, taking ihram again from Masjid Aisha. During Ramadan the ministry limits pilgrims to one Umrah for the month.
Does package length affect my permits?
Not for the Umrah permit, which is available throughout your stay. It matters for the Rawdah, where our 12 and 14 nights packages give five or six Madinah nights versus roughly three on the 7 nights option.
How much are your Umrah packages?
Our 7 nights Umrah package starts at £499 per person for 3 star, rising to £679 for the 14 nights Umrah package. Prices include flights, hotels, visa, Nusuk-compliant transport and transfers.
Related Guides
- Nusuk App Guide for UK Muslims — registration, login problems and permits
- How to Book a Rawdah Visit on Nusuk — slot timing and strategy
- How to Apply for an Umrah Visa from the UK — the step-by-step process
- Umrah Visa Requirements UK — every document you need
- How Long Does an Umrah Visa Take from the UK? — timelines and status checks
- Umrah Visa for Children from UK — age requirements and documents
- Umrah Packages from the UK 2027 — complete price list across all durations
- 10 Nights Umrah Package — our most recommended duration
- 14 Nights Umrah Package — best per-night value from the UK
The Short Version
You need both a visa and a permit. The visa costs money and gets you into the country; the permit is free and gets you into the mosque. Book the permit after your visa is issued, from the UK rather than on arrival, and screenshot the QR code.
Check the season calendar before booking anything for the spring period, because permits stop entirely for a window around Hajj and the dates shift each year.
If you would rather have the sequencing, registration and season checking handled, our packages start at £499 per person for 7 nights and £679 for 14 nights, including flights, hotels, visa, transport and transfers.
Send us your travel dates and group size for an exact price: Message us on WhatsApp for a live quote
This guide is maintained by our UK Umrah support team. Permit requirements, season dates and penalties are set by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Interior, and are published annually. Season cut-offs move each year with the Islamic calendar and penalty figures have changed before — confirm current rules before booking non-refundable travel.
