UAE residents cut Umrah costs by up to 50% with Saudi Arabia's transit visa, stopover option

Some UAE residents are taking advantage of Saudi Arabia's stopover visa to perform Umrah while travelling on vacation or business, allowing them to cut costs by as much as 50 per cent.

Egyptian expat Abdel Hadi didn't know about this convenient travel option until his parents flew into the UAE for a visit.

“They wanted to perform Umrah while they were here in the UAE. Initially, I applied for an Umrah visa, but my travel agent suggested the stopover visa as a more economical option,” said Abdel Hadi, who is a social worker.

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Six of them were travelling for the pilgrimage and had he booked the usual package, the trip would have cost more than Dh15,000 for the group.

"With the transit visa, we completed the pilgrimage for just Dh8,000, including accommodation, food, and flight tickets,” Abdel Hadi said. They travelled by train from the Jeddah airport to the holy city of Makkah and then from there to the holy city of Madina.

For business travellers

Amina S. Mohideen, a businesswoman in Dubai, has also been making the most of this stopover option to fulfil her religious duties.

“I have a business in the UAE, and I fly at least three to four times a year to London as my son lives there. Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced this service a few years ago, and when I learned about it, I started taking the opportunity once or twice a year,” said Moideen.

Previously, she had to pay about Dh2,000 for a three-day Umrah trip and if she were to book the same package now, it would cost her about Dh3,000.

"The stopover visa comes with no extra cost. So, if I go for the pilgrimage using this visa, the trip to the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, —along with food, transportation, and accommodation — would cost me only about Dh1,500 for three days," she said.

Moideen also didn't have to plan a separate trip for Umrah. “This visa helps me to perform Umrah on the go," she said.

The stopover visa allows travellers to stay in Saudi Arabia for up to four days, based on the offer of Saudia Airlines.

Shahbaz Ali, managing director at Reliance Aluminium and Glass, was impressed by how flight timings would always be on point, allowing him to conveniently perform all the rituals without having to rush.

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