Umrah Packages From India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt Must Now Include Meals

This article is correct as of 2026-08-20.

Saudi Arabia’s Umrah system now requires travel programs bringing pilgrims from Egypt, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to include meals in the package. The requirement took effect on 14 August 2026, according to Ghazi Qutb, head of the Hajj and Umrah Committee at the Madinah Chamber of Commerce. [4]

What the meal requirement changes

The change moves meals from an optional service that pilgrims bought after arrival to a core part of the package. The meal cost is included in the package rather than collected separately, and each pilgrim gets a code linked to their visa to use at participating restaurants in Makkah and Madinah. [4][5]

Reports say around 10,000 restaurants in Makkah and Madinah have joined the platform, and the reported per-day cost works out to roughly 20 Saudi riyals per pilgrim under the Nusuk-linked voucher arrangement. [5]

The requirement started without a full public statement from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah listing every country, the minimum number of meals, meal specifications, or a fixed price. Execution details are tied to contracts between travel companies and service providers, which means the exact inclusions can vary by operator. [4]

Which travellers are affected

The first phase covers Umrah programs from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt. These four markets send large numbers of pilgrims to Madinah, which is why the Madinah Chamber of Commerce is closely involved in the rollout. [4]

If you booked through an agency in one of these countries, check your package documents for the meal component before departure and ask for the inclusions in writing. [4]

For a DIY traveller who booked directly instead of through an agency, the practical question is how the meal component is delivered. Under the reported arrangement, the code is linked to the visa and meals are redeemed at restaurants registered on the Nusuk-linked platform, so the package confirmation and the permit you would carry anyway are the documents you need at hand. [5]

The visa clarification behind the update

The meal requirement arrives alongside a separate clarification about the one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed that holding this visa, valid for 365 days, does not remove the need to book an approved service package through a licensed provider on the Nusuk platform and obtain an Umrah permit before each trip. [1][2]

The visa allows a combined stay of up to 90 days across all visits. That 90-day allowance is cumulative and shared across the full validity period, so a second or third visit still needs a fresh package, a new permit, and enough remaining days. [2][3]

The ministry also stated the visa cannot be used for entry during the Hajj 2027 season, from 1 Dhu Al-Qi’dah until 13 Dhu Al-Hijjah, even if the visa is still within its 365-day validity. [1]

The practical reading for repeat travellers is that every return trip is its own booking exercise. The visa stays valid across the full 365-day window, but the package, the permit and the remaining days are checked visit by visit. [2][3]

What DIY travellers should do now

1. Ask your operator or agency whether meals are included in the package price, especially if you booked from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Egypt. [4]
2. Confirm how the meal entitlement works, such as a code linked to your visa or a voucher in the Nusuk app, before you travel. [5]
3. If you hold a multiple-entry Umrah visa, count your cumulative stay days and book a new approved service package and permit for every visit through Nusuk. [2]
4. Keep the visa issue date and your running total of days in Saudi Arabia in one place, because the 90-day limit is shared across all visits. [2][3]
5. Recheck the package terms before paying for flights, because the exact meal inclusions can vary by operator and contract. [4]

Advisories for pilgrims already in the holy cities

Separately, authorities have issued advisories for pilgrims in the region. The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has asked Umrah visitors to refrain from photography inside the holy sites to protect worshippers’ privacy, and weather warnings cover heavy rain and strong winds in the Makkah Region. Phase two of the Madinah Parking Project has also begun across main corridors near the Prophet’s Mosque area. [6]

For anyone already in Makkah or Madinah, the practical advice is simple: watch the weather bulletins, respect the photography guidance, and build extra time into travel around the Prophet’s Mosque while the parking project operates. [6]

The bottom line

The meal requirement is the concrete change: packages from four countries now include catering, and the exact details depend on your operator. The visa clarification is a reminder that a valid multiple-entry visa still needs package and permit steps for each visit. For DIY planning, both updates point the same way: read the current package terms, confirm the inclusions in writing, and recheck the visa conditions before every trip. [2][4]

Notes

1. [1] The Economic Times, “Saudi Arabia clarifies rules for one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa,” 17 August 2026: publisher report.
2. [2] Gulf News, “Saudi Umrah visa valid for 365 days, but bookings required for every visit”: publisher report.
3. [3] Lexis Middle East (Okaz), “Saudi Arabia: Hajj Ministry clarifies service package requirement for multiple-entry Umrah visa,” 16 August 2026: publisher report.
4. [4] The Islamic Information, “Meal Service Now Compulsory in Umrah Packages for Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh and India”: publisher report.
5. [5] ProPakistani, “Mandatory Food Vouchers Introduced for Pakistani Umrah Pilgrims,” 4 August 2026: publisher report.
6. [6] Wego Travel Blog, “Hajj 2026 Live Blog: Permits, Visas & Travel Updates,” last updated 19 August 2026: live blog.