Frequently asked questions

Yes — the app is free and both the Umrah and Rawdah permits are issued free of charge. If anyone asks you to pay for a permit, it’s a scam.

Yes. The visa lets you enter Saudi Arabia; the permit lets you enter Masjid al-Haram (Umrah) or the Rawdah at a specific time. Without a valid permit you can be refused at the gates.

The calendar opens the upcoming dates and prayer-time slots (typically a few weeks ahead). Pick a date and a slot shown as “Available.”

You can hold one active Umrah permit at a time. After your slot passes (or you cancel), you can book another — in practice many pilgrims rebook roughly every other day. See booking an Umrah permit.

Once every 365 days per person, across all visit types — unless you qualify for Instant Track near the Prophet’s Mosque.

In batches — commonly around Friday and roughly 7–10 days ahead — and they fill within seconds. Fresh seats and cancellations also appear about every 20 minutes. See finding a slot.

The Rawdah runs on separate visiting hours for men and women, which is why you choose “Males” or “Females” first; each has its own slots and gates.

Yes — add them as companions by Nusuk ID, invitation link, or passport/GCC ID and visa/border number. Men and women may need separate Rawdah bookings.

Very young children generally don’t need their own permit but must accompany a guardian; older children usually need their own, added via passport or ID. Follow the in-app prompt.

Wait 24–48 hours after your visa was issued, then retry. Check your passport and visa/border numbers match exactly, try the alternate number type, and ensure a stable connection. More in common mistakes.

Yes — confirm the visit at least 48 hours before, or the permit can be cancelled automatically. The QR code appears about 2 hours before. See confirming your visit.

Normally once every 365 days. The exception is Instant Track: same-day appointments when you’re near the mosque with location enabled.

Men commonly use Gate 37; women have their own gates and times. Follow the gate on your permit and arrive 20–30 minutes early — scanning is exactly on time. See gates & entry.

Large & medium bags, chemical/flammable materials, laptops & professional cameras, weapons & sharp objects, national flags & banners, and food, drinks & water containers.

Your QR (keep a screenshot in case of no signal). For Rawdah, arrive early, travel light, and carry water for the wait outside the queue.

Yes — core services are at nusuk.sa and umrah.nusuk.sa, but the app is most convenient for permits, your QR ticket and reminders.

Usually not. On the calendar, grey means slots for that date haven't been released yet, red means it's fully booked, and green means available. Most “no permits” messages are grey dates — the batch simply hasn't dropped, so keep checking.

Green = available to book; red = fully booked for that date; grey = not released yet (or outside the booking window). Grey dates can turn green when the next batch opens.

Slots are released in waves — a weekly batch (often Friday afternoon, KSA time) about 7–10 days ahead, plus smaller top-of-the-hour drops and cancellations. They can vanish within a minute. If a date is grey the batch hasn't opened yet; start checking about 10 days before your target date. See finding a slot.

Be logged in and ready before each release window (Friday afternoon KSA time, around 12:00, and the top of each hour). Don't spam-refresh — close and reopen the app right on the release boundary, and have your companions already added so you can book in one tap. Set alarms for the release times in your own timezone.

If you're physically near Masjid an-Nabawi with location enabled, Instant Track can surface same-day slots freed by cancellations — even within your 365-day window. Many pilgrims check right around :01 and :31 past the hour.

Some pilgrims report seeing different availability after switching the app to Arabic and back. It's an unofficial trick, not a guarantee — precise timing and persistence matter far more.

Umrah works the same way: the calendar opens dates and prayer-time slots a few weeks ahead. If your date is grey it hasn't opened; if red it's full — try another prayer-time slot or an adjacent date. Remember you can hold only one active Umrah permit at a time.

Nusuk is the official platform of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. In 2026 it's the mandatory, central system for visas, crowd management and access to the two holy mosques — you book your Umrah and Rawdah permits in it. Use only the official .sa apps and sites.

Three separate systems: the Nusuk app is your on-the-ground wallet for free Umrah and Rawdah permits; umrah.nusuk.sa is a web marketplace for paid Umrah packages (visa, flights, hotels); and hajj.nusuk.sa is the separate Hajj platform. A profile on one doesn't automatically carry over to the others.

Yes. Under the 2026 “any visa is an Umrah visa” approach, holders of a tourist eVisa, visa on arrival, transit/stopover or family-visit visa can perform Umrah. The visa only grants entry to the Kingdom — access to the mosque still needs an active, time-bound permit booked in the Nusuk app.

For a dedicated Umrah visa, Saudi Arabia enforces “no booking, no visa”: your file needs a verified Booking Reference Number (BRN) covering your accommodation for the whole stay plus an airport transfer. Before the app lets you book worship slots you also submit pre-arrival data — BRNs, return flights, passport details and a meningitis ACWY vaccination certificate (given at least 10 days before travel).

On the web marketplace umrah.nusuk.sa, which lets international visitors book directly instead of through an agent. Packages come as comprehensive (visa, flights, transport, catering) or without visa (for GCC citizens or existing visa holders), from budget one-night stays to premium multi-night packages.

Microsoft-hosted inboxes (Outlook, Hotmail, Live) often block Nusuk's automated codes. Register with a Gmail address instead. If you're already locked out, call support at +966 9200 31201 and ask them to change your profile email to a Gmail address.

This happens when older biometric data conflicts with the new login system. Don't fight it in the app — reset your password in a web browser at services.nusuk.sa (avoid special characters, which can trigger an error), get the OTP, then sign in to the app with the new password.

Email support@hajj.nusuk.sa with passport copies to request a fix or account deletion. For a nationality/passport mismatch, pilgrims in Madinah can visit the “Computer Office” near the mosque, where officers can override it; service centres also sit at King Abdulaziz Gate (Makkah) and King Fahd Gate (Madinah).

Tawakkalna is the Kingdom's national super-app and a handy backup if Nusuk is down: its “Manasik Gate” can issue valid Umrah and Rawdah permits that sync with the Ministry. It relies on SMS codes, so a local Saudi SIM or eSIM is recommended for international visitors.

Nusuk Hajj (hajj.nusuk.sa) is the official digital platform overseen by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. It lets pilgrims from serviced countries register, choose a package from an authorized service provider, pay, and receive their Hajj visa and itinerary — all in one place.

It is a Ministry of Hajj and Umrah programme that serves pilgrims from countries with Muslim minorities that do not have an official Hajj mission to arrange their pilgrimage. Nusuk Hajj is how those pilgrims register directly.

No. The Nusuk app handles free Umrah and Rawdah permits. Nusuk Hajj is a separate web platform for registering and booking a paid Hajj package from an authorized service provider.

Only serviced (targeted) countries, which the Ministry designates each year. Check the Serviced Countries list on the platform before registering — availability depends on your nationality or residency.

No. Registering does not guarantee acceptance. Your data is verified first, and packages and payment become available at a later stage.

You must be from a serviced country and meet the Ministry's requirements. For the current season, pilgrims generally must be over 15 years old. Age and eligibility rules can change each year, so confirm on the platform.

A clear scan of your passport and a recent personal photo (colour, white background, full face). Your passport must be valid at least six months beyond your return — for Hajj 2026, through the end of 2026 — ideally with two blank pages.

If you live in a country that is not your country of origin, yes — upload a valid proof such as a residency card, work visa, employment contract, lease or property document.

Verification can take from about 24 hours to several weeks depending on volume. Your status shows as Under Verification, Verified, or Rejected (you receive an email with the reason; fix it and it returns to Under Verification).

On the login page use Forgot Password, enter your registered email, and open the reset link to set a new password. Then log in with your email, password and the emailed code. See the guide.

Yes. One admin manages the whole group and handles applications, package and payment. You can add up to 8 members to a family group, and every member must be verified before you can book.

Delink removes a member from your group (a self-registered member becomes independent). Delete permanently removes a member and needs an OTP (you cannot delete a self-registered member, only delink). Transfer authority hands the admin role to another member, who must accept it.

Three categories — Luxury (5-star), Premium (4-star) and Standard (3-star or residential) — each in Shifting or Non-Shifting form. Minimum durations are around 6 days for Mashair, 10 days for Non-Shifting and 14 days for Shifting.

Packages bundle your accommodation in Makkah and Madinah, Mashair camps, transportation, listed services and visa issuance. Each package page shows what is included, not included, and available for an extra fee — read the cancellation policy before booking.

Once verified: choose a preferred category, fund your eWallet, open Book your Package, select and configure a package (hotels, extras, flight), and pay. Everyone in your group must be verified. See the guide.

Creating your account and applying is free. A Hajj package is paid — you top up an eWallet and pay the provider from it. (This differs from the free Umrah and Rawdah permits in the Nusuk app.)

You fund a personal eWallet by credit card or bank transfer, then pay for your package from that balance. Full payment is due at booking — there is no pay-later option — and your wallet must hold more than the package price.

There is generally a 72-hour grace period after buying an individual package during which you can cancel. Refunds return to your original payment method and can take up to about 45 working days, with a processing fee (around 2%, before tax) deducted. The Ministry can change this policy.

No. The IBAN shown in your wallet is personal to your account. Keep it confidential and never share it with an agent or third party.

Visa issuance is bundled into the package. After your payment is confirmed, you receive your booking confirmation and itinerary, and your visa is processed automatically through the system.

Only after your application has been finally approved at least once, with no family members added and an unfunded eWallet. You complete the same registration steps, and once approved your profile is shown to authorized service providers. You can register as a Guide once.

Through the platform's Live Chat, by email at support@hajj.nusuk.sa (replies within about 24 hours), by phone at +966 9200 31201 (working days, 9am–9pm), or via the official @Hajj_Nusuk social channels.

Dates are announced by the Ministry, but with Hajj 2027 falling around mid-May, profile creation and document upload are expected to open roughly October–November 2026. Don't wait for the announcement — get your passport, photo and vaccinations ready in advance.

The platform checks photos strictly. Common causes: the background isn't pure white (shadows), the dimensions or file size are wrong, glasses, or an obscured hairline or face. Fix it and re-upload — or let nusukphotos.com auto-format it to the exact Nusuk requirements.

Prices are set when packages go on sale and vary by provider, but as a guide, budget (shifting) packages have historically started around $10,000–$12,000 per person, and premium non-shifting (5-star, close to the Haram) can reach $15,000–$25,000+. Many packages don't include international flights — check each one.

Banks often block large, sudden international charges to Saudi Arabia as suspected fraud. Call your bank to pre-authorise it, or top up in smaller amounts (e.g. $1,000 at a time) to avoid 3-D Secure failures. Fund the wallet early, well before sales open.

It varies. “Country-specific” packages often bundle flights; “global” packages usually include ground transport inside the Kingdom but not international flights. Check each package, and make sure your own flights line up with the package start date.

Mina camps are priced by distance to the Jamarat (the stoning site). Zone A / Majar al-Kabsh is closest — a 10–15 minute walk; Zone C and Muaisim (often tied to budget packages) can be a 45–60 minute walk in intense heat. Weigh your fitness against your budget.

Yes — the physical/digital Nusuk Card is required to enter the Grand Mosque during Hajj, ride the Haramain train and enter the Mina camps. Keep a screenshot of the digital card in case the network drops.

No. Saudi authorities impose heavy fines, deportation and multi-year bans on unauthorised pilgrims. The only lawful route for pilgrims from serviced countries is an official Hajj visa obtained through Nusuk Hajj.

In busy seasons Nusuk uses a queue. Log in 1–2 hours before sales open and do not refresh (you'll lose your place); keep your device awake. The wait may show as many hours but usually drops quickly once the queue stabilises — and a pre-funded eWallet checks out instantly.

These are overload errors on Nusuk's side during peak sales. Clear your browser cache, use a private/incognito window, or try another browser (Edge or Firefox). A pre-funded eWallet cuts your time at checkout, which helps you get through before a timeout.

Refunds follow a strict decay scale tied to permit issuance: cancel before your permit is issued (around Shawwal 30) for a full refund minus roughly 2%; after the permit but before Dhul Hijjah, a ~10% penalty; from Dhul Hijjah 1 onward, usually no refund. A newly-bought package also has a short grace period (see the cancellation question above). Genuine medical or bereavement cases may qualify for exceptions with documentation.