Food Vouchers Made Mandatory for Pakistani Umrah Pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has introduced a mandatory Nusuk food voucher for Umrah pilgrims from Pakistan, India, Egypt, and Bangladesh, with the cost being included in the overall Umrah visa fee.

The new policy will come into effect from 1 Rabi ul Awwal. Under the revised system, each pilgrim will pay approximately 20 Saudi riyals per day for meals, with the amount automatically added to the total visa cost.

As part of the initiative, Saudi authorities have integrated hotel accommodation, transportation, meal services, and other Umrah-related facilities into a single digital platform through the Nusuk app.

Nearly 10,000 restaurants in Makkah and Madinah have been enrolled in the system. Every pilgrim will receive a unique code linked to their visa, enabling them to redeem meals at participating restaurants.

Saudi officials say the initiative is aimed at standardizing food services for Umrah pilgrims, improving the quality of services, and reducing the role of unauthorized service providers.

The new requirement is expected to increase the overall cost of Umrah packages. Travel operators in Pakistan and the other affected countries are reviewing their package prices to account for the additional charges introduced under the new policy.