Written by Samir Motala
Updated: 21 January 2025
👓READ THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING FOR ANY VISA👓
You can now perform Umrah and enter with an Umrah visa, tourist visa and GCC residents visa. UK citizens can now apply for a visa waiver (EVW) which costs approx £30. Types of visas below:
(A) Non Western/non-eligible for the Visit Saudi tourist visa should apply for the GCC RESIDENT visa or the Umrah (Hajj visa if the option comes up) on the MOFA Website not visit Saudi.
(B) Western and other eligible nationalities should apply for the Visit Saudi tourist visa regardless of their status. Western passport holders, it seems cannot apply for the GCC Resident visa AND GET CHARGED $521 upwards if they apply for this visa so don’t bother. Eligible Western passports can also get the tourist visa on arrival at airport and land borders and the cost is similar incl Health insurance but it is recommended to apply in advance to avoid delays.
⚠if seeking medical assistance in KSA 🏥: Based on one individual’s feedback of the health insurance that comes with the 12m tourist visa, he stated that it was not accepted by the healthcare provider he got treated by and was asked to pay for his treatment.
(C) UK EVW
UK 🇬🇧 citizens can apply for the Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) in advance. You cannot obtain this visa on arrival but please note that it is single entry so not worth it if travelling by road to UAE/Oman/Bahrain/Kuwait as you will need another waiver to re-enter KSA on the way back. If you’re planning on multiple entries to KSA within 12m, stick to the multiple entry tourist visa.
🕋Umrah roadtrip from Qatar: A step-by-step guide🕋
Please note the below is subject to change, do your own research. Keep up to date with the latest travel requirements for KSA and Qatar.
✅Passengers of all ages need a visa
✅Nusuk (previously called Eatmarna) probably required for Umrah permit but definitely required for Rawdah in Madina. New slots are released on the App on Fridays on 1st and 31st minute of each hour. Permit required for children too.
❌No PCR
⚠🩼As of *6th February, 2025, the Meningococcal/Meningitis vaccine will be a mandatory requirement for Umrah pilgrims has been suspended.
❌No other vaccines mandated apart from Meningitis
I will be publishing this on a blog/website so please do not put this online, please respect this request and fear Allah.
1. Apply for the tourist visa on
https://visa.visitsaudi.com/Registration/Verify or for the new KSA tourist visa for GCC residents https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=4
Eligible nationalities include:
UK
US
EU
Australia
You can check on the Visit Saudi website
Ensure passports for applicants are valid for 6 months or more. Although some western passport holders have entered KSA with less than 6m on their passports, at your own RISK.
⚠ Those with new passports and a valid KSA Visa on your old passport, are advised to take the old passport, printed visa (technically the visa is on their system but best to take a print out) plus new passport.
The Saudi tourist visa is a multiple entry visa valid for 12m from the date of issue and usually includes health insurance (incl Covid cover). You cannot stay for a total of more than 90 days in the 12m period of your visa
2. You will need to apply for the tourist visa for each of your passengers regardless of age. Use this photo app: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/image-size/id670766542 for Apple IOS and for android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=np.com.njs.autophotos
to ensure you meet the stringent visit Saudi photo requirements in terms of file size and specific pixels 200x200
3. The tourist visa does currently allow one to perform Umrah as well as touring KSA.
3a. Put any profession for spouses and children e.g. “teaching assistant” or “Student”
3b. Put any address or any hotel in Riyadh or Dammam
3c. 💰Online Cost: SAR402/ £85 / $10
3d. 💰Visa on arrival Cost (Land border): SAR375 / £79 / $100
4. 📋 Steps for UK 🇬🇧 EVW application
This step only applies to UK Citizens wanting to apply for the EVW:
✔Single entry
🕰 Visa stay duration: Can remain in KSA for 6 months or 180 days. ❌ NOT multiple entry
💰Cost: 138 SAR / £29
Apply here: https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Account/Loginindividuals
⚠Profession of Spouse/Children - Put any profession for spouses and children e.g. “teaching assistant” or “Student”
5. Before leaving home and if travelling by car 🚗, check how busy the border is by using this live camera feed link: https://www.ipcamlive.com/6343ed0b7e602
Best to avoid Thursday evenings or peak Saudi/Qatar school holidays. If things are not running smoothly you could be stuck at the border from 6-12 hrs or more in extreme cases.
5a. Abu Samra Pre-registration service - Use Metrash2 to pre-register your entry in to KSA. Go to home page then choose Travel Services ➡Pre-Registration for Abu Samra border. Enter your details and add any family members already attached to your Metrash2 account. Choose exit when leaving Qatar and entry when entering Qatar. If your spouse/passengers/family members are not attached to your Metrash2, choose “Other passenger” then add their QID and D.O.B then click + button. Only those with a valid QID can be registered on this service. If any of your passengers don’t have a QID, this service will not work.
⚠🚗 If borrowing a car you don’t own under your QID, you will need to ask the owner to do an exit permit for your in Metrash2
⛔ Currently car hire/rental company vehicles are not being allowed to exit Qatar.
5b. Purchase your mandatory Saudi car insurance with the Manafith website or app before you set out. This is still required *regardless*of whether you have purchased GCC Fully Comprehensive insurance (‼most of the local Qatar insurers do not cover KSA. They only cover UAE. Oman and Kuwait so check with them before‼) & breakdown through your local Qatar insurer.
⚠Manafith: As of 1st January 2025, you can only buy short term (less than 1 month) insurance online. If you don’t buy it online, you will be forced to buy a min of 1 month coverage at the border.
⚠ Attention: the advanced online insurance only activates 3 hrs or more after purchasing so buy it at least 3 hrs before getting to the border. This allows you to use the shorter “Insured Cars” queue. Link here: https://manafeth.najm.sa/
iOS version: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/manafith-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B0/id1630305902
Other roadside breakdown coverage options: if your current policy doesn’t offer GCC coverage below are a few options, no feedback on them yet, at your own risk:
🚗: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1012044799
🚗: https://itacorsa.com/
5c. 🏥 Healthcare coverage - consider some form of healthcare coverage as KSA no longer provided free healthcare except possibly for emergency treatment but I can’t validate this. Some Islamic credit cards provide free travel and medical emergency coverage policies for the cardholder and their family on condition that they used the card to book either flights or accommodation. Check this guide out for options: https://theharamaynguide.com/blogs/articles-2/which-medical-services-does-your-visa-cover
6. Before setting out ✈ you should download Nusuk (previously Eatmarna) in advance of leaving but it WILL ONLY WORK ON KSA SOIL FOR SOME and for first time users.
7. Pack 2 or 3 car phone chargers - you will need them for you and your passengers.
8. Convert some QAR to Saudi riyals as some petrol stations and shops don’t take cards. You can get SAR in Doha exchanges including Lulu and the one near Carrefour villagio. Note the best ways to spend in Saudi In order:
8a. QAR cash to KSA riyal in Qatar
8b. withdrawing cash from your Qatar debit card in KSA
8c. Using your Qatar credit or debit card
8d. Exchanging cash in KSA
9. Print out your hotel bookings. For the tourist visa they required a hotel name but at the border the hotel name was irrelevant. In fact I cancelled my booking subsequent to getting my approved visa, so book a free cancellation room.
10. Before you leave home map out and pin Point favourites of your destinations in KSA/UAE. If using Waze you can navigate to the destination whilst on home WiFi, it then saves the route to the cache so when you enter KSA you don’t need mobile data for that leg of the journey. For KSA Google Maps is much better, Waze is quite inaccurate.
11. Exiting from Salwa border checks before entering Saudi, the Qataris asked for QIDs, passports and Estimara, I doubt they will let you through without the original physical estimara. If you don’t own the car, you will need to apply for the exit permit consent via Metrash2, to be given by the vehicle owner. Note that rental car companies do not permit you to take their vehicles across the border.
12. For first time entry on the visa: You and your passengers will need fingerprinting and iris scanning. To do this you need to go to the large arrivals terminal building. There are separate male/female booths. Kids under a certain age (perhaps 6/7/8) will get photographed instead of fingerprinted. They have recently opened a new departure lounge building (Sala) which is significantly larger but can get crowded and chaotic at peak times. If in doubt follow the crowd.
If you entered on that visa previously: YOU JUST STICK IN THE QUEUE AND YOU DONT NEED TO GO TO ABOVE MENTIONED BUILDINGS as fingerprints are only required once per new visa.
13. The Saudis stamp a paper slip after taking a pic of you and passengers and take fingerprints - that little paper slip is essential and required for every step until you exit the border in to KSA. They will not take a pic and fingerprints the next time you enter KSA.
14. We then drove through to customs checks they took the slip from the previous checks plus passports and estimara then another guy opened the car and checked.
15. If up I didn’t follow Step 2a above, You are then directed by car to the najm insurance hut.
16. Drive time from home to Riyadh is 6 hours incl Border with Cameras placed randomly and discreetly every few kms. DO NOT RISK SPEEDING but the good news is most of the 3 lane plus highways have 140km/h limits.
❌📸As of Jan 2023 it appears that Saudi authorities are issuing fines for traffic violations related to Qatar registered vehicles. Please do not chance it and let us know if they are charging for historic fines.
17. Road conditions on SOME (not all) stretches are appalling and can mess up any car’s suspension as well as being dangerous so take care.
18. If you can get a sim near/at the border, I would suggest you do as Saudi data is much cheaper and you will need it for the long roads. There is a shop at the border, location below: 24°45'46.5"N 50°44'49.1"E
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LxhwkSPToFuZcX4i7?g_st=ic
You can also get ZAM ZAM bottles at the above location, at the large supermarket store.
19. Another point on SIM cards - if you go to the official mobile stores they will request the individual to be physically present as they take a fingerprint
20. Drive time Riyadh to Makkah was approx 10 hours incl 1 hour break.
The meeqat from Qatar is here:
Miqat Qarn Al Manazil Al Sail Al Kabir
https://goo.gl/maps/24gPFfpa7WqZXk3x6
21. Makkah hotel parking - booking a hotel with its own parking is essential and convenient although Kudai car park is free. If staying at any of the Jabal Omar hotels, hotel parking maps pin below.
I’ve added this on google maps - this is how you enter the Jabal Omar hotels car parks
Conrad Makkah hotel underground car park
https://maps.app.goo.gl/v1GtSoCSfUUGkWPKA?g_st=ic
22. Have your hotel booking printed out to show the Makkah police as there are numerous road blocks to get to the main hotels and they will ask you for the bookings especially in Ramadan
I wish you all a safe and blessed journey InshaAllah, remember me in your Duas.
🕋Apps🕋
Nusuk (Eatmarna) - possibly required for Umrah permit but mandatory for Rawdah visits
Waze and Google Maps for navigation
🧾Travel Checklist🧾
☑Smart phone
☑Phone Charger
☑Power bank
☑Passports
☑QIDs for Qatar residents
☑Valid car estimara
☑Qatar driving license
☑Consider buying health insurance as KSA may charge you out of pocket for healthcare
☑Vaccination booklet - not essential
☑Saudi tourist visa printed
☑Saudi health insurance printed (relates to 12m tourist visa)
☑Hotel bookings printed
☑Cash both Saudi riyals and QAR as some petrol stations in KSA don’t accept foreign cards
☑Credit and debit cards
☑GCC insurance and Breakdown coverage print out
☑Large water gallon bottles or camping style water containers with taps.
🚗Car checks and items in advance of departure🚗
☑Do an oil change
☑Do a radiator flush and top up
☑Ask mechanic to check engine cooling system and AC is working and AC gas is adequate
☑Check brakes and rotors/discs
☑⚠⚠⚠Check condition of tyres at any tyre shop for cracks, damage, nails/screws and put appropriate PSI air for a long highway/high speed journey, Woqod is good enough for this.
☑Do not take risks by driving long distances in the heat with Chinese/old/cracked/low quality tyres. A few bros on this group had issues with tyres bulging etc. high Quality tyres (less than 4yrs old and not cracked) are ESSENTIAL.
☑Check your spare tyre and ensure it’s fully inflated
☑Ensure you have all tools for changing a tyre
☑Ensure you have the wheel locking/unlocking bolt or adapter for main tyres AND spares
☑Carry Jump start cables or battery charger
☑Carry extra 2 ignition coils - one of my coils failed in Riyadh and during a separate trip to Abu Dhabi, luckily I was able to go to the nearest garage and get it replaced
Carry a spare bottle of engine.
🚗Book GCC insurance and Breakdown cover, I bought this in addition to the KSA one they issue at the border so I get fully comp additional coverage.🚗
💰GCC Motor Insurance coverage with QAR500 for GIG covers the entire GCC for a max of 25 days per trip confirmed by GIG manager. QIC around 500 for the year, check with your insurer but beware they only cover UAE, Oman and Kuwait. KSA, Bahrain not covered.
💧Picking up Zam Zam water from the bottling factory💧
Use Waze to drive to Zam zam water selling point, مكة, مكة المكرمة: https://waze.com/ul/hsgu3djwqt
Zam zam water selling point
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ccH2f7LpscViwvEo9
The above two are the same location
Just go here on your way out of Makkah.
They give you 20 bottles of 5 Litres each MashaAllah make sure you’ve got space for them. That’s 20 x 5L bottles for each QID.
Once in, go to the machines on the far left. Get a ticket and then go to the counters on the far left and hand the ticket you just printed.
They will give you a slip and then direct you to the outside pick up area.
The porters help you to load them up and take the bottles to the car.
☎ 🆘 Important PHONE Numbers for KSA: Saudi highway patrol dial 996
Emergency: 112
Police: 999 or 911
List of Other emergency numbers: https://lifeinsaudiarabia.net/emergency-numbers-in-saudi-arabia/
Written by Samir Motala
