The cost of performing Umrah is set to increase following the introduction of a mandatory meal voucher scheme that will be integrated into the Umrah visa process.
Under the new policy, scheduled to take effect from 1 Rabi al-Awwal, every Umrah pilgrim will pay 20 Saudi Riyals (SAR) per day for a Nusuk meal voucher. The charge will be embedded in the visa fee rather than collected separately.
The policy will initially be implemented in four countries—Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt—before a wider rollout.
According to the policy dispatch, the meal voucher system will function in a similar manner to the existing transport service integrated into the Nusuk platform. The voucher will be calculated based on the pilgrim’s length of stay and verified before the Umrah visa is issued.
More than 10,000 restaurants linked to the Nusuk application are expected to participate in the programme, enabling pilgrims to redeem their meal vouchers during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
