Guidelines to Visit Makkah

Guide on Makkah

Guidelines and Documentation Required to Visit Mecca?

It is mandatory to carry vaccination certificates for inspection by the Saudi Authority at the entry gate of the airport.
Food products are not allowed into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and will be confiscated at the airport.
The last day to enter King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah to perform Hajj is the 4th Dhu Al-Hijjah of each year.

Pilgrims must handle their passports to the “Unified Agents Office” to complete all travel related formalities to Makkah and Madinah.
In case a pilgrim loses his passport, report to the local police and obtain a copy of the written complaint. Upon completion of Hajj, the honorary consulate in Jeddah can assist in issuing replacement passports.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should be left by all the pilgrims at the maximum by 10th of Muharram of each year. After the completion of Hajj, the pilgrims are not allowed to stay in the country.

Some Useful Information that you must know:-

Everything closes during Salah (prayer time) in Saudi Arabia. Salah can last up to maximum of 30 minutes.
King Salman is the Present custodian of the two Holy Mosques.
Saudi Arabia is the largest country without a river in the whole world.
It is a criminal offence in Saudi Arabia to engage in homosexual activity. It can attract death penalty or a long stretch in prison with the customary public battering as an additional punishment.
One can indulge in some outdoor fun activities like diving, snorkelling, swimming in the Red Sea Waters of Mecca province, which is warm all the year round and quite safe too.

Documentation

PASSPORT

A valid passport for at least 6 months is required to enter Saudi Arabia.

Passport Note: To enter Saudi Arabia, those who are bearing Israeli stamps and are from Israeli birthplace are refused entry Visa.

It is mandatory to comply with Saudi conventions and norms of dress and behaviour. Those who do not follow these rules or are seen intoxicated or displaying objectionable behaviour in public will be deported.

There are certain rules and regulations for the pilgrims that enter Saudi Arabia. One can contact the consular section at Embassy for further information. The gist of the guidelines is discussed below:-

Under-aged children and women should be having a Mehram as a companion. (Mehram means a close family member). Women who have no one as the companion should be met at the airport by their husband or Mehram and should have confirmed onward reservation to the final destination in Saudi Arabia.

VISA

Visas are must required by all the travellers except those passengers who stay for less than 18 hours. Although Hajj Visas are free for services in Mecca and Medina.

VISA NOTE: The pilgrim (Umrah) VISA could only be fetched through an authorised ‘Umrah Agency’ which has been appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One can check with the embassy for a list of appointed agents. Administrative fees may apply and further requirement for Umrah applications must be received through an authentic travel agent. A number of endorsed agencies are available on the embassy website.

Transit travellers who stay in the Jeddah Islamic Airport or Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina for more than 24 hours can perform Umrah or visit a holy destination on the pretext that they must hold a valid agreement with one of the appointed Umrah agencies.

VALIDITY

The Validity of the Visa starts from the date of the issue of the Visa. The period starts from the first day of entry into Saudi Arabia within the valid dates of Visa. Be cautious enough not to stay more than the permissive period of stay, as overstaying may be a serious concern.

Single Entry Visas: up to 3 months
Multi Entry Visas: up to 6 months
Hajj and Umrah Visas: 30 days, for stays up to two weeks

Guidelines and Documentation Required to Visit Mecca?

Documentation

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