Umrah from the UAE: visa options for residents and visitors, and going by road or air

Umrah from the UAE runs through Saudi authorities: the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sets the season calendar, Nusuk handles permits and accredited packages, and your Saudi visa route depends on your nationality and residence. By road, you leave the UAE at Al Ghuwaifat, about 453 km and 4 hours from Downtown Dubai.

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Updated 17 October 2026

deendotsg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

On this page

Which authority handles Umrah, and why that matters
What the Umrah season calendar looks like
Visa options for UAE residents and visitors
Going by air: the Miqat rule
Going by road from the UAE
Before you pay anyone
Photos in this guide
The drive, on the map

By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 17 October 20263 min read

Which authority handles Umrah, and why that matters

Umrah is arranged on the Saudi side. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah publishes the season calendar and points travellers to two routes: Nusuk, its platform for planning Umrah yourself, and accredited providers whose packages are integrated with Nusuk. The ministry describes packages as covering accommodation, transport and cultural experiences.

The UAE does not issue any part of an Umrah visa. Your Emirates ID and residence visa serve one purpose here: they tell Saudi systems and providers where you live. See the wider rules in our guide to UAE visas explained.

What the Umrah season calendar looks like

The ministry’s page for the 1447 AH season gives a pattern worth knowing:

Milestone	1447 AH date
Visa issuance begins	10 June 2025
Last day to issue visas	20 March 2026
Final deadline to enter the Kingdom	3 April 2026
Last day to leave the Kingdom	18 April 2026

The page also says Umrah can be performed at any time of year. The calendar applies to international visitors holding Umrah visas. We have not confirmed the dates for the 1448 AH season, so read the ministry’s page before you book flights.

Visa options for UAE residents and visitors

There is no single “Umrah visa for UAE residents” we can confirm. What we can source is the Saudi tourist visa framework. It applies to any trip into the Kingdom:

Three routes: arrival at a Saudi port (listed nationalities only), an eVisa, or an application at a Saudi embassy.
Passport: valid for 6 months.
Also needed: medical insurance approved in Saudi Arabia, an address in the Kingdom and the SAR 300 fee.
GCC residents: a residence visa with at least 3 months left, in a profession on the visitsaudi.com list. First-degree relatives travelling with them are covered.

Our guide to the Saudi visa for UAE residents walks through the profession rules. Whether a tourist visa allows Umrah is not something we could confirm from an official page, so ask Nusuk or an accredited provider and keep the answer in writing.

Going by air: the Miqat rule

Pilgrims who fly must enter ihram at the Miqat or its equivalent point on the route. The ministry states that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is not a Miqat. If you fly from Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi, prepare your ihram clothing before you leave the UAE, and ask the airline how the Miqat will be announced.

Going by road from the UAE

Every road trip to Saudi Arabia leaves the UAE at Al Ghuwaifat on the E11, the UAE’s only land border with Saudi Arabia. Al Batha is the Saudi post beside it. From Downtown Dubai it is about 453 km, roughly 4 hours without queues. Our Ghuwaifat and Batha crossing guide covers the order of posts, insurance and fuel.

Lit lane gantries at the Al Ghuwaifat border post on the UAE side, photographed at night — Gainerz120 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Trucks on the Dammam to Riyadh highway as it crosses open desert in Saudi Arabia — Cyfjifwi_Qydvtf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Three things to settle before you set off:

Visas for every passenger. The German Embassy reported in March 2026 that the eVisa was the quicker way through Al Batha, and that officers checked destination addresses and hotel bookings.
Return papers. UAE residents come back through the same post, so check that the residence visa is valid on the return date.
Insurance and car papers. Ask the hire or fleet owner what the vehicle needs for Saudi Arabia.

Assure’s UAE to Saudi Arabia transfer page and the cross-border transfers overview set out the routes we handle on request. This guide is not an offer of an Umrah package. Visas, permits and accommodation come from Saudi authorities and accredited providers.

Before you pay anyone

Check any agent against the providers named on Nusuk or the ministry site.
Never pay for an Umrah visa that someone promises in advance. Saudi authorities decide.
If your plans also cover Qatar or Bahrain, read our Qatar and Bahrain visa guide, and see our visa services.

Photos in this guide

The Kaaba in the courtyard of the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, with pilgrims walking around itdeendotsg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Lit lane gantries at the Al Ghuwaifat border post on the UAE side, photographed at nightGainerz120 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Trucks on the Dammam to Riyadh highway as it crosses open desert in Saudi ArabiaCyfjifwi_Qydvtf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

The drive, on the map

Road distance and drive time without traffic, from OpenStreetMap routing. Allow more at rush hour.

Dubai to Riyadh by road

1,055km

About 10 h 31 minwithout traffic
Plus time at the border

DubaiPickup
Abu DhabiCity
Al Ghuwaifat borderBorder crossing
RiyadhDrop-off

Road distance and free-flow drive time from OSRM on OpenStreetMap, checked 17 October 2026. Stops are drawn in order, not to scale.

Dubai to Riyadh transfers

Questions and answers

Can UAE residents get an Umrah visa from Dubai?

Umrah visas and permits are issued by Saudi authorities, not by the UAE. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah points visitors to Nusuk and to accredited providers integrated with it. Whether your nationality and residence qualify for a specific Umrah visa is set by the Saudi side, so confirm it on Nusuk or with an accredited provider before paying anyone.

Do I need a separate visa for Umrah if I hold a Saudi tourist visa?

We could not confirm this from an official page on 17 October 2026, so we do not state it. Saudi Arabia's Tourist Visa Regulations set out three routes: on arrival, eVisa or embassy. Ask Nusuk or an accredited provider whether your visa type permits Umrah, and get the answer in writing.

When can I perform Umrah?

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says Umrah can be performed at any time of year, and runs a season calendar for international visitors. For the 1447 AH season, visa issuance ran from 10 June 2025 to 20 March 2026, with the last entry on 3 April 2026. Check the ministry page for the current season's dates.

What is the Miqat, and does it matter if I fly?

The Miqat is the point where pilgrims enter ihram. The ministry says pilgrims arriving by air must enter ihram at the Miqat or its equivalent point on the flight, and that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is not a Miqat. Put on ihram before boarding or as your airline's crew announce.

Can I drive from the UAE to Makkah?

You can drive to Saudi Arabia: the UAE exits at Al Ghuwaifat and Saudi Arabia is entered at Al Batha, the only road crossing between the two countries. Every passenger needs a Saudi visa or exemption. Distances beyond the border depend on the route, so ask for a quote before you plan.

Is it better to go by road or by air for Umrah?

Flying is faster for most travellers. Road suits large families or groups with heavy luggage who want one vehicle throughout. Whichever you choose, the visa, permit and accommodation come first, because Al Batha checks visas, and hotel bookings were reported to be checked at the border in March 2026.