Saudi Arabia is preparing to integrate a mandatory meal voucher into the Umrah visa process, a move that will raise the overall cost of performing the lesser pilgrimage. Under the new policy, every Umrah pilgrim will pay 20 Saudi riyals per day for a Nusuk meal voucher, with the charge embedded directly in the visa fee rather than collected separately.
The scheme is scheduled to take effect from the 1st of Rabi al-Awwal. It marks another step in Saudi Arabia's drive to channel pilgrim services through the Nusuk digital platform, which already handles Umrah permits, accommodation and transport bookings.
How the voucher will work
According to the policy details reported by Hajj Reporters, the meal voucher system will operate in a similar way to the transport service already integrated into Nusuk. The voucher amount will be calculated based on the pilgrim's length of stay and verified before the Umrah visa is issued.
This means a pilgrim planning a ten-day visit would see roughly 200 riyals added to the cost of the visa. The longer the stay, the higher the total charge, since the fee is applied per day.
More than 10,000 restaurants linked to the Nusuk application are expected to take part in the programme. Pilgrims will be able to redeem their vouchers at participating outlets during their stay in the Kingdom, giving them access to prepaid meals without needing to arrange catering separately.
Initial rollout in four countries
The policy will not begin worldwide. It will first be implemented for pilgrims travelling from four countries: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt. These nations together send some of the largest numbers of Umrah pilgrims each year. A wider rollout to other countries is expected to follow once the system is tested.
The change is part of a broader pattern. Saudi authorities have steadily made service packages a compulsory component of both Hajj and Umrah, bundling accommodation, transport and now meals into a single digital transaction. Officials have framed these reforms as an effort to raise service standards and improve oversight of the pilgrim experience.
What it means for pilgrims
For prospective pilgrims, the immediate effect is a higher upfront cost. Budgeting for Umrah now needs to account for the daily meal charge alongside flights, accommodation and transport. Pilgrims and travel agents should factor the added fee into their planning, particularly for longer trips where the per-day charge accumulates.
Some practical points are worth keeping in mind. First, confirm with your travel agent or the Nusuk platform whether the voucher has been applied to your visa before you travel. Second, keep a note of participating restaurants near your accommodation in Makkah and Madinah so the prepaid meals are easy to use. Third, remember that the voucher is tied to your declared length of stay, so an accurate travel plan helps avoid confusion at the point of visa issuance.
As with all pilgrimage arrangements, pilgrims are advised to rely only on licensed operators and the official Nusuk platform, and to verify any fee or requirement through official channels before making payments.