After the Umrah Visa Application: Processing, Status, and Next Steps

Once you submit your visa application through our form, a structured review process begins in the background. Umrah Hilfe is a specialized service by AZNA Marketing based in Frankfurt am Main. We are not a tour operator within the meaning of § 651a BGB, but rather apply for and obtain the visa on your behalf directly through the official platform of the Saudi state. The visa issued is the standard Saudi tourist eVisa, which is fully valid to perform Umrah—no separate or specialized "Umrah visa" category is required.

Step 1: Thorough Initial Review of Your Documents

Before an application is transmitted to the Saudi authorities, we manually verify every single submission for completeness and formal accuracy. During this check, we focus on the following criteria:

• Passport validity: Your passport must be valid for at least six months on the date of your planned entry. A national identity card is not sufficient for travel to Saudi Arabia.
• Quality of the passport scan: The machine-readable zone (MRZ) and photo page must be sharp, clearly legible, and unobstructed.
• Passport photo requirements: A recent color photograph with a pure white background is mandatory. The picture must be frontal and evenly lit. Outdoor selfies or pictures taken in front of patterned backgrounds trigger errors in the official government intake system.
• Consistency of personal details: All first and last names must match the machine-readable section of your passport letter for letter.

If any discrepancies are found or a photo does not meet the guidelines, we will contact you promptly via email requesting an update. For data protection reasons, please do not send confidential identity documents via messenger services such as WhatsApp; instead, use only our secure upload forms or official email contact.

Step 2: Invoicing and Payment Processing

Once all documents are complete and verified, you will receive an email containing the invoice for your application. For family or group bookings, we issue a clear collective invoice addressed to the first adult applicant (group leader).

Our fee structure is completely transparent:

1. Official government fee: This fee is charged directly by the Saudi state (including the mandatory travel health insurance for the visa) and is itemized separately on your invoice. Because this amount is set by the authorities in foreign currency, it is calculated daily at the current exchange rate.
2. Our service fee: We charge a fixed administrative fee of €37.50 per person for checking, processing, and handling your application. As a small business under § 19 UStG, we do not charge or display VAT.

Payment is handled exclusively via traditional bank transfer upon invoice. We never send payment links or payment requests via instant messaging apps. Please transfer the invoice amount within the payment term of five business days, and make sure to include your invoice number in the payment reference. This ensures our accounting system matches incoming funds quickly and accurately to your application.

Umrah Visa Processing Time: When Will Your Visa Be Ready?

Government processing does not begin when the web form is submitted, but as soon as your bank transfer is credited to our account.

As soon as your payment arrives, we submit your details directly to the official platform of the Saudi state. From this point forward, processing is usually completed within 48 hours, and often within just a few hours. Please note that the final approval decision rests solely with the Saudi authorities.

When calculating the total timeframe from application to receiving your document, you should also factor in standard bank transfer clearance (usually one to two business days).

Track Your Application Live via Your Status Link

To ensure complete transparency regarding your application status, you do not need to create an account or remember a password. Instead, every confirmation email from us includes a personal, secure status link.

Using this link, you can check live at any time which phase your application is currently in:

• Documents under review
• Invoice sent / Awaiting payment
• Payment registered / Application submitted to authorities
• Visa successfully issued

In compliance with data protection standards, the status link displays only the current progress and timestamp of the last update, without exposing sensitive passport details. If you submitted an application for your family, the group leader can view the status of all co-travelers at a glance.

What Happens in Case of Inquiries or Technical Delays?

If the processing status does not change for more than 48 hours after payment has been received, this is usually due to a manual review within the Saudi immigration system. Occasionally, transcriptions of specific names or birthplaces undergo an additional plausibility check.

In rare instances, the government system requests a re-upload of the passport photo with adjusted lighting. Should this happen, we will notify you immediately by email and guide you through correcting the document. For urgent inquiries regarding an ongoing application, you can reach our team via our contact channels:

Visa Received: Essential Requirements Before Departure

Once your visa has been issued by the Saudi authorities, we will email you the official document as a PDF. Immediately upon receipt, double-check all printed information (name, passport number, date of birth, nationality) for total accuracy.

Please keep the following core regulations in mind before you travel:

Validity Period and the 90-Day Rule

The issued eVisa is valid for 365 days from the date of issue and permits multiple entries. You may stay in Saudi Arabia for a maximum of 90 days in total across that entire one-year period—these 90 days apply cumulatively across all stays, not per individual entry.

Nusuk App and Umrah Permit

A valid visa grants you entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but performing Umrah requires an additional free permit. Prior to visiting Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and for visiting the Rawdah in Madinah, you must reserve a time slot via the official Saudi platform (Nusuk Umrah permit). Purchasing an expensive third-party Umrah service package is not required.

Restrictions During the Hajj Season

During the annual Hajj pilgrimage season, performing Umrah on a regular tourist eVisa is strictly prohibited by Saudi law. While your visa remains valid for regular entry into the country during this period, access to the holy sites in Makkah is reserved exclusively for pilgrims holding an official Hajj visa.

Booking Travel Components Separately

Once your visa has been issued, you can arrange your flights and accommodation independently. Because we operate strictly as an independent visa service and not as a tour operator, travel services are never bundled with the visa. We recommend booking flights and accommodation flexibly through our verified partners:

For official travel and safety advisories for Saudi Arabia, please consult the German Federal Foreign Office.

Further Reading

Umrah Visa from Germany

Applying for an Umrah Visa – Step by Step

Validity and the 90-Day Rule