Many Muslims travel to Umrah yearly, a significant minor pilgrimage. Cheap Umrah packages offer a budget-friendly way to make this sacred journey hassle-free, including essential services at reasonable prices and minimizing expenses on accommodation and transportation. Additionally, obtaining an e-visa can lower travel costs, helping you achieve your Umrah goals. Let’s explore these visas, their cost-effectiveness, and the application process.
E-Visa: A Brief Introduction
Also called an online visa, an e-visa is a digital alternative to a traditional one. It is an online document that grants you a permit to enter a specific country. The high-end system has cut the need for a visit and wait at embassies. by ensuring an electronic link with your passport. You can apply for the visa from the comfort of your home. Australia takes pride in introducing this modern tech to the world. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia embraced this convenient system on September 27, 2019. Indeed, this advanced service is one of the excellent facilities for pilgrims.
5 Reasons Why an Online Umrah Visa is Cost-Savvy
Here are some of the primary reasons that explain why these visas are cost-effective and why you must apply for them:
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Offer Less Processing Fees
In contrast to traditional visa methods, e-visa offers a more streamlined application process. That’s the reason you have to pay lower processing fees for it. The entire process is online, which reduces administrative costs. The state has cut the overall issuing charges as no manual effort is required. Embassies and consulates incur significant overhead costs, including staffing, office space, and utilities.
Processing e-visa online also cuts expenses and passes these savings on to applicants through lower processing fees. Moreover, this online system has eliminated the need for a minimum wage to cut paper costs. With little need for printing, mailing, and handling paperwork, e-visas save you money and ensure a speedy process.
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Cut Travel Expenses
In traditional visa methods, people must travel to the embassies, which consumes time and money. E-visa application eliminates the need to visit a consulate, significantly reducing travel costs.
Those living away from the nearest embassy might have to stay overnight. In addition to travelling, these people also have to pay for accommodation. Applying for an e-visa online can cut these additional costs and lessen the stress of the process.
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Ensure No Hidden Service Charges
Getting an e-visa is a transparent process that helps pilgrims avoid hidden service charges. The process is directly conducted through the state’s official portal. No intermediary, like a travel agent, is involved in it. This direct approach ensures that applicants are only paying the official visa fees.
Moreover, the online visa portal also clearly breaks down all the applicable fees upfront, helping people see precisely what they are paying for. The online payment option also makes the process transparent by ensuring that the issuing authority processes the fees directly without any additional or hidden costs.
How to Apply for an Umrah E-Visa?
Applying for an online visa is a simple process. Here is a mini guide for you to learn how you can ace this process:
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Check Eligibility
Before commencing the process, check whether you are eligible for this facility. Until now, the Saudi state has allowed only the residents of 66 countries to take advantage of it. You should visit the official website and look at the countries entitled to it. Search for your country on the list or not. Also, remember that the list is continuously updated. Therefore, regularly check the latest inclusions at the official Saudi Arabia e-visa portal.
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Gather all the Required Papers
Once you pass the eligibility criteria, prepare all the necessary documents. Here is the list of the papers that you need while proceeding with your application:
- A passport valid for at least six months from entry into Saudi Arabia.
- A clear and recent passport-sized photograph.
- Confirmation of your hotel booking in Saudi Arabia.
- Proof of return flight ticket.
- Travel insurance covers both health and emergency issues.
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Visit the Official E-Visa Portal and Create an Account
The Saudi e-visa portal is an official website where you can apply for an online visa for Umrah. It is the only site that can grant you an e-visa. Therefore, beware of scammers and always go with the right platform. Once you are on the website, create your account by following the steps given below:
- Click on the “sign up” button.
- Provide your email address and a strong password, and complete the required details.
- Check your email for a notification message and activate the account.
- The account is created. Remember your email and password to log in next time.
Creating an account is vital to track your bookings and get updates.
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Fill Out the Application Form
After that, you will see a request form on your screen. Fill out all the required information and verify the data. Cross-check the details with your passport and other documents. Generally, you must fill out the form with personal information, such as name, race, date of birth, passport number, issue, and expiry date. In addition to these details, you must mention travel plans.
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Upload Papers
After filling out the request form, upload the scanned copies of the required papers, such as passport, picture, and hotel booking proof. Follow the given steps to upload these documents:
- Go to the Document Upload section.
- Choose the type of papers you need to upload from the drop-down menu.
- Press the “Choose” button to browse your computer for the file.
- Find and select the file you want to upload
- Preview the selected file.
- Press the “Upload” button to attach the file to your visa request.
- Click the “X” to remove the file or choose another one.
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Pay the Visa Fee
After uploading the papers, pay the applicable visa fee with your credit or debit card. The fee varies depending on your country and the processing time. However, it generally costs around $120 (SAR 450), including insurance charges.
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Submit Request
Review the completed information after all payments are cleared and submit your request. You will receive a confirmation email upon submission. E-visa processing is usually fast. Remember to print a copy once you receive your visa and carry it on your trip. Muslims Holy Travel, a well-known travel agency, offers affordable Umrah packages with e-visa services. Contact them today to start your budget-friendly and stress-free pilgrimage.