Preparing for your first Umrah

Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Makkah. Unlike Hajj, it can be performed at almost any time of year, and the rites themselves take a few hours. The preparation takes longer. This article outlines the practical steps most travellers from the United States work through before they leave.

Start with your passport

Check your passport first. Saudi Arabia generally asks for a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date you enter the country. If yours is close to expiring, renew it before you do anything else, because passport processing in the United States can take several weeks.

Visa

Citizens of the United States can apply online for a Saudi tourist eVisa, and the tourist visa allows Umrah outside the Hajj season. Rules, fees and processing times change, so check the official Saudi visa portal before you apply and again shortly before you travel.

Health

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health publishes vaccination requirements for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine is the one most often required. Requirements change from season to season, so check the current list and speak to your doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before you travel.

Umrah also involves a lot of walking. Tawaf is seven circuits around the Kaaba, and sa'i is seven lengths between the hills of Safa and Marwah. Walking regularly in the shoes you plan to wear, in the weeks before you go, makes the days in Makkah and Madinah easier.

Learn the rites before you go

Umrah has four main parts: entering ihram with the intention before the miqat, tawaf, sa'i, and shaving or shortening the hair. Read a reliable guide, attend a class at your local mosque if one is offered, and ask a qualified scholar about anything you are unsure of. Learning the supplications you want to make, in a language you understand, also helps.

This article is a general overview, not a religious ruling. Practice differs between schools of thought, so learn the details from a scholar you trust.

Choose a package that fits

Tuyba's 2027 packages from New York run for 7, 9, 12, 15 or 21 nights, and each length comes in two versions: Madinah first or Makkah first. Every one includes the flight with a connection in Istanbul, a hotel stay in both cities and the train between them.

Think about how much time you want in each city, how much walking you are comfortable with, and when you can take time off. Then request a quote. A Tuyba specialist confirms the dates, hotels and flights with you. There is no online payment.

The last weeks

• Keep copies of your passport, visa and tickets, on paper and on your phone.
• Tell your bank you are travelling, and carry a card that works abroad.
• Install the apps you will use, such as Nusuk, the official Saudi platform for Umrah and Rawdah appointments.
• Pack light, and use a packing list so nothing important is left behind.
• Many pilgrims settle their debts and ask their family's forgiveness before they leave.

Above all, give yourself time. A calm start makes it easier to focus on the worship the journey is for.