Umrah Meal Voucher Now Compulsory

Umrah Meal Voucher Now Compulsory for Pakistani Pilgrims: What It Costs and What It Means

Updated August 2026. Umrah rules are changing quickly this year. Call +92 51 5194556-7 for the position on the day you book.

Saudi Arabia has made a meal voucher compulsory for Umrah pilgrims from Pakistan, and it is now bundled into the Umrah visa itself rather than sold separately. If you are pricing an Umrah package from Islamabad for the coming season, this is the single change most likely to move the number you are quoted.

Here is what is actually required, what it costs, and what it does not cover.

What Is the Nusuk Meal Voucher?

The Nusuk meal voucher is a prepaid food allowance attached to your Umrah visa. It is administered through Nusuk, the Saudi platform that already handles Umrah permits, hotel bookings and transport in one place. When your visa is issued, a code is linked to it. You present that code at participating restaurants in Makkah and Madinah to claim meals against the balance.

Roughly 10,000 restaurants across the two holy cities are signed up to the scheme, so in practice you are not limited to a single hotel canteen.

How Much Does the Umrah Meal Voucher Cost?

The charge is approximately SAR 20 per pilgrim per day, applied automatically to the visa fee. It scales with the length of your stay, so a fourteen-night trip carries roughly double the voucher cost of a seven-night one.

Because it is added to the visa rather than the hotel bill, it shows up as a higher Umrah visa fee rather than as a line on your accommodation invoice. That is why some travellers have been surprised: the visa looks more expensive than last season even though the visa itself has not changed price.

Who Does It Apply To?

The requirement currently applies to Umrah pilgrims travelling from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt. It is not a global rule, which is why you may read conflicting accounts from pilgrims of other nationalities.

It applies to pilgrims on the Umrah visa. If you are travelling on a different visa category and performing Umrah, the position can differ — ask us to check your specific case rather than assuming.

Why Saudi Arabia Introduced It

The stated reasons are standardising food service quality, ensuring pilgrims are not left without provision, and pushing unregistered operators out of the catering chain. Umrah numbers have grown enormously and the informal end of the market had become difficult to police. Whatever view you take of the policy, the practical effect is that meal provision is now guaranteed and priced up front instead of being an unknown you settle in cash.

What This Means for Your Umrah Package Price

Expect Umrah package prices to rise modestly for the affected nationalities. For a typical two-week trip the voucher adds a few thousand rupees per pilgrim at current exchange rates — noticeable on a family booking of five or six, minor against the total cost of flights and hotels.

Three things worth watching when you compare quotes:

• Check whether the voucher is included in the quoted price. An agency quoting without it will look cheaper and will not be.
• Check the number of nights the voucher is priced for. It is charged per day, so a quote built on the wrong duration will not match the visa fee actually charged.
• Do not assume the voucher replaces your full food budget. It is an allowance at participating restaurants, not unlimited catering, and it will not stretch to every meal for every traveller.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the food voucher compulsory for Umrah?

Yes, for pilgrims travelling from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt on an Umrah visa. It is applied to the visa automatically and cannot be declined.

How much is the Umrah meal voucher?

Around SAR 20 per pilgrim per day, added to the visa fee and scaling with the length of stay.

Can I use the voucher anywhere?

At participating restaurants in Makkah and Madinah — around 10,000 of them are in the scheme. It is not valid outside the programme.

Does the voucher cover all my meals?

No. It is a daily allowance. Pilgrims who eat out heavily, or who have particular dietary needs, should budget beyond it.

Will Umrah packages get more expensive?

Modestly, yes, for the four affected nationalities. The increase sits in the visa cost rather than the hotel cost.

Booking Umrah With Sky Travel & Tours

We are an IATA accredited travel agency in Islamabad and we quote Umrah packages with the visa cost stated in full, voucher included, so the figure you approve is the figure you pay. We handle the visa, flights, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, and ground transport as one file.

See our Umrah packages, or call +92 51 5194556-7. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +92 344 1111321, or visit the office at Faizan Arcade, Plot 1316, Block-C, NPF O-9, Main PWD Road, Islamabad.