The city of Makkah witnesses the arrival of millions of Muslims throughout the year for the holy rituals of Umrah. Pilgrims travel with all-inclusive Cheap Umrah packages UK worldwide and opt for the minor pilgrimage to Makkah because of the immense rewards and significance it holds.
Umrah is a Sunnah pilgrimage. That’s why there’s not a specific time for its performance i.e. one can travel for it any time of the year. Yet, some periods are more rewarding for Umrah performance and the month of Ramadan is one of them.
Ramadan Umrah holds exceptional spiritual status in Islam. It is the month in which Allah Almighty increases the reward of every good deed performed by a believer. Consequently, Umrah’s performance in Ramadan becomes equivalent to Hajj in reward (narrated in a hadith). That’s how Ramadan becomes the peak period for Umrah travel. You will encounter millions of pilgrims in Haramain. It is also expensive to travel for Umrah in Ramadan because of the higher travel and accommodation costs resulting from high demand.
Here’s what you need to know about going to Umrah after Ramadan.
Issuance of Umrah visas after Ramadan
- Every pilgrim arriving in KSA for Umrah rituals must possess a valid visa for it. Otherwise, they cannot enter Saudia Arabia.
- Umrah visas are not available for issuance after the first fifteen days of Ramadan.
- Pilgrims applying for Umrah visas after this period must wait a total of four months to get their Umrah visas i.e. after the hajj ends.
Hajj season starts right after the end of Ramadan month. So, foreign pilgrims cannot get an Umrah visa after the month of Ramadan ends. They will be only able to travel for Umrah on their Umrah visa after the completion of Hajj. However, during his time, locals and GCC residents could opt for Umrah rituals because no such restriction of the sort is upon them.
Issuance of Tourist Visas after Ramadan
The Kingdom of Saudia Arabia now permits Muslim travellers to perform Umrah on tourist visas to the region. Muslim tourists arriving in Saudia Arabia can get their Umrah permits via the Nusuk app and easily perform Umrah rituals in Makkah without an Umrah visa.
Saudi Tourist visas are available to the citizens of 49 countries. They can either get it with a visa-on-arrival facility or through visa services. So, if you are travelling to KSA after Ramadan on a tourist visa with the 10 Nights 4 Star Umrah Package you can easily perform Umrah rituals on it (excluding the days of Hajj).
Can you go to Umrah after Ramadan?
So, can you go to Umrah after Ramadan or not? The answer here is simple.
- If you are travelling on an Umrah visa, you cannot enter KSA for Umrah rituals after Ramadan until the Hajj season completes.
- If you are travelling with a tourist visa, you can offer Umrah rituals on it after Ramadan but before the beginning of Hajj season.
- Pilgrims getting Umrah visas for their travel should wait for at least a month after the Hajj season completes, i.e., the Umrah visa application opens again.
That’s why you must understand your demands first and select an appropriate channel for your Umrah travel after Ramadan. Suppose you are a resident of any country under Saudi tourist visa eligibility. In that case, you don’t need to worry about the Hajj season to complete the rites of minor pilgrimage. On the other hand, all other pilgrims must wait until the completion of the Hajj period, i.e., a total of four months, to get Umrah visas from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
In short, pilgrims on a tourist visa can go for Umrah after Ramadan but pilgrims on an Umrah visa have to wait till the completion of the Hajj period to travel for a minor pilgrimage.