Umrah visa or tourist visa? What Bangladeshi pilgrims can use

Saudi Arabia now lets holders of every kind of visa perform Umrah. That has caused some confusion, because not every visa is open to every passport. For travellers from Bangladesh there are three real routes. This guide explains each one, who can use it, and what the newer rules mean in practice. You can check any passport in our Saudi visa checker.

Route 1: the Umrah visa

This is the route almost all Bangladeshi pilgrims use. The Umrah visa is issued through the Nusuk system by a licensed Umrah agent, together with a package of hotels and transport.

• Validity. Since November 2025 the visa must be used within one month of the day it is issued. If you have not entered Saudi Arabia by then, it is cancelled automatically.
• Length of stay. Up to three months after arrival.
• When it is not available. Umrah visas are not issued in the weeks around Hajj.
• What you need. A passport valid for at least six months, a photograph, and the vaccinations required for travellers from your country at the time.

Because of the one-month rule, apply for the visa only when your flight dates are fixed.

Route 2: the tourist eVisa

The Saudi tourist eVisa allows Umrah outside the Hajj season, but Bangladesh is not on the list of eligible nationalities. A Bangladeshi passport holder can still apply if one of these is true:

• you hold a valid visa for the United States, the United Kingdom or the Schengen area that has been used at least once;
• you are a permanent resident of the United States, the United Kingdom or a European Union country;
• you are a resident of a Gulf Cooperation Council country.

The eVisa is valid for one year with multiple entries, and each visit can last up to 90 days. You book your own Umrah permit in the Nusuk app. The visa page for Bangladeshi passport holders has the details.

Route 3: the free stopover visa

If you fly with Saudia or flynas and change planes in Saudi Arabia on the way to another country, you can add a stopover visa to the ticket. It allows a stay of up to 96 hours — enough to perform Umrah with a Nusuk permit and to visit Madinah. The visa itself is free; there is a small insurance and service fee.

Which one should you choose?

• Going for Umrah from Bangladesh: the Umrah visa with a package. It is the simplest route, and the agent is responsible for your hotels and transport.
• Holding a used US, UK or Schengen visa, or living in the Gulf: the eVisa gives you a year of flexibility and lets you combine Umrah with travel in the rest of the country.
• Flying through Jeddah, Riyadh or Madinah to somewhere else: the stopover visa turns a connection into a short Umrah.

Whichever visa you hold, you need a permit from the Nusuk app to perform Umrah and to pray in the Rawdah in Madinah. None of these visas is valid for Hajj.

How darbiya helps

Our Umrah packages include the visa, and our team confirms the requirements for your passport before you pay. If you already have a visa, you can build your own Umrah with only the hotels and transport you need.

Common questions

Can Bangladeshis get a Saudi tourist visa?

Not directly, because Bangladesh is not on the eVisa list. A Bangladeshi passport holder can get the tourist eVisa with a used US, UK or Schengen visa, with permanent residence in the US, the UK or the EU, or with residence in a GCC country.

How long is an Umrah visa valid?

It must be used within one month of the date of issue, and it allows a stay of up to three months after you arrive.

Can I perform Umrah on a visit or tourist visa?

Yes. Saudi Arabia allows holders of all visa types, including tourist, family-visit and transit visas, to perform Umrah outside the Hajj season with a Nusuk permit.