If you don’t make your travel arrangements properly, you can face either a severe or little hassle at home, at the airport or in a foreign city. Here I will mention some of the tips that I learned through many travels and Umrah performances.
It doesn’t matter that you are booking Umrah packages or planning for a DIY Umrah you should consider these tips for a hassle-free Umrah. While you are still at home, arrange the things to prevent from the last-minute hustle and bustle.
Guide Book
Get a proper guide book for Umrah. Many travel agents even provide Umrah guide. Dua Travels is one of my trusted travel agency if you are planning for Umrah from the UK. You can download a pdf file on your mobile to learn Umrah duas.
Passport
According to Saudi rule and regulations, your passport must be valid for at least six months at the time of travel. It also has two adjacent pages vacant. Check this at home while preparing for Umrah.
Valid Visa
Double-check the visa validity before departing for Umrah. If you are travelling through an agent as him about your visa type as some countries can perform Umrah on visit visa.
Vaccination certificate
A vaccination certificate against Meningococcal equivalent to ACYW-135 is must for every pilgrim arriving to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. The document should be issued no more than the last 3 years and no less than 10 days before entering Saudi Arabia.
Hotel booking vouchers
Check whether your hotel booking voucher dates match according to your travel dates or not? If you are travelling through an agent, ask him to give a copy of your vouchers. And if you are planning by yourself book your hotels early according to your travel dates.
Transportation management
Ask your travel agent to provide you with the facility of transportation from the airport to hotel and vice versa. Some travel agents like Dua Travels also offer transportation for ziarats during your Umrah. In my opinion, it is convenient to have transport from a travel agent rather than looking for a taxi at the airport that will cost you higher.
Shahada certificate (for converts)
Don’t forget to carry a shahada certificate (proof of religion) if you had converted to Islam recently. You can obtain it from any local mosque that is eligible for its issuance. Consult your local Imam for further inquiries. You can face a serious problem if you don’t have a Muslim name on your passport as non-muslims are not allowed to enter in Makkah and Madinah.
These are the documents that one must have while travelling for Umrah. If you forget any of them, you can face serious issues, and you can’t win an argument with a Saudi officer. The list of documents will remain same while you are going to book a Hajj Packages by a trusted agency.
Everyone has different preferences in life some like to arrange all of the travel by themselves, and some don’t take the hassle of doing anything and end up in booking a package through a reputable Umrah travel agency.