Umrah for Residents in Saudi Arabia: Nusuk Permits, Rawdah and the Haramain Train

Residents inside the Kingdom apply for an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app, and the permit is tied to a time slot at the Grand Mosque. You can hold only one active permit at a time. Permits are suspended for residents around Hajj each year, and in 2026 the suspension ran from 18 April to 31 May. This guide is dated October 2026, and these rules change, so confirm in the app before you book.

Getting an Umrah permit

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says you issue the permit through the Nusuk app, and it becomes active immediately on booking (Ministry FAQ). The FAQ describes these rules:

• One active permit. You cannot issue a new one until the current permit expires or you cancel it. Check your companions' accounts too if you book for a group.
• Cancel before the slot starts. You cannot cancel once the permit time has begun.
• No changing the time. Cancel and issue a new permit instead.
• Arrive on time. Entry to the Grand Mosque for Umrah is tied to your permit time. If you arrive late, you wait until the first permit expires before issuing another.
• Repeat Umrah. The FAQ sets no limit on how many times you can perform it and says repeating Umrah carries no fee. The roughly SAR 300 visa fee it mentions is for people arriving from outside the Kingdom.

The Nusuk Umrah platform's terms ask residents to confirm that they have lived in the country for a full year or more (Nusuk terms).

The FAQ page is not dated and has some older wording, so treat it as a guide to how the system works. Check the app for the current slot rules, and any limit on repeat visits, before you plan.

The Hajj-season suspension

The Interior Ministry announced on 12 April 2026 that:

• Nusuk would stop issuing Umrah permits to Saudi citizens, GCC nationals, residents inside the Kingdom and other visa holders from 18 April 2026 until 31 May 2026.
• From 13 April 2026, residents needed an official permit to enter Makkah, and those without one were refused entry. Exemptions covered holders of a residence permit issued in Makkah, Hajj permit holders, and holders of an electronically issued work permit for the holy sites.
• From 18 April 2026, holders of all visa types other than Hajj could not enter or stay in Makkah.

(Interior Ministry announcement on pep.gov.sa). The announcement states that violators face the penalties prescribed by law and gives no amounts. Expect a similar window around Hajj each year, and look for the Interior Ministry announcement a few weeks before it.

Rawdah permit in Madinah

The Rawdah Sharif permit is also booked through Nusuk. The Ministry lists citizens, residents, visitors and GCC citizens as eligible, and the service is free (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah):

1. Log in or create an account on Nusuk using Nafath.
2. Choose the Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifa permit service.
3. Pick a date and an available time slot.
4. Issue the permit.

The Ministry page does not state how often you can book. Some reports mention a limit of one visit per 365 days, but we could not confirm that, so check the app when you choose a date.

Getting there: the Haramain train

The Haramain High Speed Railway connects Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah, a 453 km corridor with about two hours between the holy cities (Arab News). It has five stations: Makkah, Madinah, Al-Sulimaniyah (Jeddah), Jeddah airport (KAIA) and King Abdullah Economic City (Haramain booking site). There is no Riyadh station on the line.

• From Jeddah: Jeddah has two stations, Al-Sulimaniyah in the city and one inside the main terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
• From Riyadh: you need to reach Jeddah, Makkah or Madinah first by another means, because the Haramain line does not run to Riyadh.
• Booking: book on sar.hhr.sa or at station ticket offices and machines. Online booking accepts an Iqama as the travel document, with its number and expiry date. The booking help line is 920 004 433.
• Fares: a Gulf News guide updated in May 2025 listed Makkah to Jeddah at SAR 40 economy, Makkah to Madinah at SAR 150 economy and SAR 455 business, with 50 percent off economy base fares for children. Fares vary by date and demand, so use the booking page for today's price.

Budgeting the trip

For hotels, transport and permits, use the Hajj and Umrah budget tool.

Before you go

• Update the Nusuk app and sign in with Nafath well before the date.
• Confirm your Iqama is valid for the whole trip, and see the iqama renewal guide.
• Check that no suspension window or Makkah entry rule applies to your dates.
• During Ramadan, read the Ramadan guide and check Nusuk for any special rules, since we could not confirm the current Ramadan limit on repeat Umrah.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked on 22 October 2026 against these pages. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay or apply.

• Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: FAQ (Umrah permits)
• Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: Permit to visit Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah
• Nusuk Umrah platform: Terms of use
• Interior Ministry announcement on pep.gov.sa: Hajj 1447 arrangements (12 Apr 2026)
• Haramain High Speed Railway: booking site
• Arab News: Haramain high-speed rail boosts Hajj capacity to 2.2m seats (2026)
• Gulf News: How to travel between Mecca and Medina with the Haramain railway (updated 27 May 2025)