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Can I Travel Alone for Umrah?

Submitted by Abdulmaaz on Tue, 06/15/2021 - 11:07

The ‘Minor Pilgrimage’ or Umrah is one of the most personal and memorable journeys a believer will ever have in its lifetime. That is why one must organize it around its own needs and preferences. Visited by millions of pilgrims throughout the year for Umrah and Hajj, the holy city of Makkah is always bustling with pilgrims from all over the globe traveling through the hajj packages. People from all walks of life, nations, and cultures come together for the purpose of their faithful duties to Allah Almighty and offer the rituals of hajj as one ummah.

One of the most common questions people have to ask about the Umrah journey is whether they can travel alone or not? Yes, one might travel alone for umrah but there are certain rules and regulations. Here’s a brief description of them.

Traveling for umrah alone; what you’ll have to manage?

If you are opting for umrah travel alone, you’ll have to look after a lot of things. Visa applications, Hotel and Flight Bookings, Travel Documentation, Transportation arrangements in the kingdom, and whatnot. So, an intelligent move is hiring an all-inclusive umrah travel package from a certified travel agent. There are a lot of economic as well as luxury options available in this regard so that you may hire whatever best suits your needs and budget.

What benefit would it have? Well, it would save you from all of the travel and accommodation arrangements hassles that people generally face. You just have to buy a package, and get ready for the spiritual journey of a lifetime.

The necessity of a Mahram for Women.

Previously, it was a legal necessity for a woman to be accompanied by her male mahram for umrah performance. In simple words, women weren’t allowed to travel for umrah performance alone. However, the Hajj and Umrah policies went through a revision under the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ plan. As per the new rules, women can also travel alone for umrah performance now i.e., they don’t need to be accompanied by a male mahram necessarily.

Umrah on Visit Visa.

Also, a part of the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ plan, Muslims are now allowed to offer umrah rituals on their visit visas to the kingdom as well i.e., obtaining a specific umrah visa is not a compulsion now. This visit visa is available for travelers through visa-on-arrival means as well as e-services.

Therefore, it can be said that now both men and women can travel alone for umrah. There are no legal restrictions in this regard as per the new rules issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. However, it’s better to take the opinion of religious scholars for any specific issues or questions that you might have.