A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for an Umrah Visa for Canadian Citizens: Tips and Tricks
Saudi Arabia issues a specific visa for everyone who wants to travel to the region for Umrah. This visa comes with certain perks and is availed by Muslims all around the world. If you are a Canadian passport holder with some confusion about the Umrah visa, look no further than this comprehensive guide. We will discuss everything in this guide, from the visa options that you will have to how to apply for it. So, let’s get straight to the point without wasting any of your time.
All Canadian citizens have two visa options if they want to perform Umrah. The first and primary option is the Umrah-specific visa. KSA issues this visa to Umrah pilgrims only. You can also use the Saudi tourist eVisa. As a Canadian passport holder, you can also perform Umrah with this tourist visa.
Let’s discuss some tips and tricks for Canadian citizens who are applying for an Umrah visa soon.
Tips and Tricks to Apply for an Umrah Visa for Canadians
Learn About and Compare Both Visa Options
As mentioned earlier, you will have two visa options that you must compare vigilantly. With an Umrah visa, you will have the advantage of additional pilgrim perks. This Umrah is only issued to the pilgrims. If you have this visa, you can only travel to Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah. Moreover, a single-entry visa allows you to stay in the region for ninety days. The pilgrim perks you get with this type of visa is that you can take Zamzam water with you back home.
On the other hand, everyone can avail of the Saudi tourist eVisa. With this visa, you can stay in the region for ninety days on every visit within a year. Muslims in some countries, including Canada, can also perform Umrah with this visa. This visa enables you to travel all around the Kingdom. The only prominent drawback of this visa is that you don’t get any additional pilgrim perks with this visa.
Consider the Time that You Have While Choosing a Visa Option
Both visa options have different application and processing times. An Umrah visa takes much longer and requires multiple visits to the local Saudi embassy or your Umrah travel agents. It is an extensive, time-consuming process. So, consider whether you have the time to apply for this visa. It can also be a frustrating process that many people might want to avoid.
The application and processing time for Saudi tourists to eVisa doesn’t take that long. There is no need to contact the embassy or the agents if you want this visa. You will also save a lot of time as you only have to submit the documents virtually. So, if you need an urgent visa to perform the pilgrimage, you should get the eVisa.
Contact an Authorized and Reliable Travel Agency
Contacting an authorised and reliable travel agency can help you avoid the hassle of getting an Umrah visa. These agencies offer all-inclusive Umrah packages with an Umrah visa, too. But make sure you choose a trustworthy travel agency authorised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
So, look for authentic Umrah travel agencies and browse through their reviews to ensure that they have a good reputation. Don’t forget to take suggestions from anyone with experience with Umrah travel agencies.
Prepare All Your Necessary Travel Documents
After contacting the agent, the next step of your Umrah preparation will be gathering all your travel documents. Ask your travel agents about the documents you need and gather them all in one place. Make sure that your documents are valid and your photographs are recent.
Gather all the documents and submit them to your travel agents for visa processing. To take advantage of the tourist visa, you must get clear pictures of all the documents. You must upload these documents to the specified place when applying for your visa.
Final Words
The Umrah visa application process for Canadian citizens is straightforward. For an Umrah-specific visa, you should contact a reliable travel agency. But to get the tourist eVisa, you just have to visit the official website. You can easily apply for this visa virtually. However, in the case of a traditional visa, you will have to visit your agents multiple times during the visa application process.
