The Nusuk app is now the official front door to Umrah. It is where the Saudi authorities handle the visa, the Rawdah visit, and the permits that keep the holy sites from overcrowding. For first-timers it can look confusing, so here is exactly what it does and how to use it, in plain terms.
A quick note: app screens and rules change over time, so always follow what the app shows you now. The official sources are the Nusuk platform, the Nusuk Umrah site, and for the visa the Visit Saudi visa portal.
What Nusuk is for
Think of Nusuk as three tools in one:
- The Umrah visa, applied for and issued electronically.
- Trip planning, where you can arrange parts of your visit.
- Permits and the Rawdah booking, the timed slots that control access to the Rawdah in Madinah and, in peak seasons, to Umrah itself.
Step 1: download and create your account
Download Nusuk from your app store before you travel. Create an account with your details and passport, and keep your login safe. Setting it up at home, on good wifi, is far easier than doing it tired on arrival.
Step 2: the visa
Saudi Arabia lets Muslims perform Umrah on several visa types, including the tourist e-visa and a dedicated Umrah visa. If you book a package with us, we apply for the visa for you through the official channels, so this step is handled. If you are arranging your own, you apply through Nusuk or the Visit Saudi portal. Our guides on the Umrah visa from the USA and Umrah on a tourist visa explain the options.
Step 3: book your Rawdah visit
This is the step every pilgrim must do personally, and early. The Rawdah, the blessed area in the Prophet’s Mosque, is visited with a free, timed permit booked in Nusuk. Slots open on a rolling basis and fill quickly, so check the app often and book as soon as a time appears for your dates. No agency can guarantee a Rawdah slot, so do not believe anyone who promises one. Our full walkthrough is in booking a Rawdah permit on Nusuk.
Step 4: Umrah permits in busy seasons
Outside of peak times, you usually do not need a separate permit to perform Umrah. During the busiest seasons, above all Ramadan, Saudi Arabia limits numbers by requiring a timed Umrah permit through Nusuk, so the mataf does not become dangerously crowded. If you are travelling then, open the app and book your Umrah slot in advance. If you are planning Ramadan, see which ten days of Ramadan to travel.
A few practical tips
- Set it up before you fly, with your passport handy and a stable connection.
- Check often. Rawdah and peak-season slots refresh, so keep looking if your first choice is full.
- Keep screenshots of your permits and bookings in case you are offline at the mosque.
- Get a local SIM or eSIM so the app works on the move. See using your US phone in Saudi Arabia.
We handle the hard part
With our packages, the visa is done for you and we guide you, step by step, on exactly what to tap in Nusuk for your Rawdah visit and any permits. You are never left to figure it out alone.
To plan the rest of your trip, see our Umrah packages or request a quote.
