Muslims from all over the world yearn to visit the Almighty’s home and perform Hajj and Umrah. Only some people are physically and financially capable of performing Hajj, so they settle for the minor pilgrimage. Umrah has excellent rewards, and Muslims perform it to please the Almighty and to be closer to Him.
If you are a UK resident and want to perform Umrah, you can easily avail yourself of cheap Umrah packages. Moreover, the visa requirements and all the other things are different for people from different areas. Therefore, you will have to check the requirements for British passport holders.
You can also contact an experienced Islamic travel agency to get more information about everything you need to know about Umrah as a UK resident.
Here is a detailed guide to Umrah for UK residents.
Types of Visas of Saudi Arabia for Umrah
You can perform an Umrah with either one of the two visas; an Umrah visa or a tourist visa. Therefore, you must decide which one you want depending on your requirements. Here are the details of both visas and their differences;
- Umrah Visa
The Umrah visa is the visa that is issued explicitly to Muslims for Umrah purposes. If you have an Umrah visa, you will get some extra perks. For example, you can take Zamzam back home while those with tourist visas cannot.
- Tourist Visa
The Saudi Arabia tourist or electronic visa is issued to anyone who wants to travel to the Kingdom for tourism purposes. Tourists can come and explore the diverse Kingdom, participate in any events or activities, or visit their family and friends with this visa.
Muslims with tourist visas can also perform Umrah. You can also visit Mecca and Medina. Non-Muslims cannot enter the Holy Kaabah, not even the sacred city of Mecca. You can use a Multiple Entry visa to travel all around the Kingdom.
What are the Visa Requirements for UK Residents?
All foreign pilgrims need to avail of the Umrah visa before making further plans to travel to the holy Kaabah. Muslims with valid passports residing in the United Kingdom can also perform an Umrah with the Saudi Arabia Tourist e-visa.
Moreover, residents applying must have mandatory travel insurance if they are applying for an Umrah visa from UK. This means that any of their medical emergencies will be covered. So, if you have any health-related issues during your stay in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, everything will be already taken care of beforehand. So, if you have booked cheap Umrah packages, you must also take care of your insurance.
You must have all these documents ready to apply for your visa as a UK citizen;
- National ID Card/ Birth Certificate
- Photo
- Valid passport
- Travel authorisation
- Necessary vaccinations
- Proof of accommodation
- Onward ticket
The waiting period for your tourist visa depends on the money you are willing to spend on it and the region you are applying from. Usually, standard processing takes about five days, rush processing takes three days, and super rush processing takes only 24 hours.
Prepare Yourself for the Umrah
Whether a UK resident or a Muslim of any other country, you must prepare before setting on this spiritual journey. Clean yourself up and perform the Niyyat before entering the holy house of the Almighty. Ensure that you are relaxed and have taken enough rest. Also, you must not have any worldly distractions in your mind.
Umrah is a spiritual act of faith revival. And you must ensure that your only purpose is to make the Almighty happy and ask for countless blessings. Then you must enter the state of Ihram and the Holy Kaabah to perform the rites of Umrah.
Make the Niyyat to please the Almighty and indulge yourself in Ibadat as much as possible. It will help you get the faith revival you have always wanted, and you will feel yourself becoming a better Muslim already.
Moreover, you can also utilise your time and visit all the Zyaraat of the sacred sites in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Both these cities are full of places with great religious significance and history. Therefore, if you travel to Saudi Arabia from the UK, you must take your time and explore all the places closely related to your religion. You might not get another chance to visit these holy cities, so try to explore them as much as possible.
Final Words
Once you have availed of cheap packages from a reliable Umrah travel agency from UK, you will be curious about the visa requirements and everything else. Visa requirements for Umrah are simple for UK residents. The UK is the country whose tourists can perform Umrah on a tourist visa. You will be relaxed if you have trusted the right travel agency. Experienced travel agents will take care of everything for you.