No. The Saudi ETA is an independent system from the dates when the Umrah visa closes annually before Hajj(2027), which does not end or become suspended at those cut-off dates. This has always been a source of confusion for the travellers coming from the UK, considering that both the Umrah visa and the ETA have something in common because they are related to entering Saudi Arabia.
Every year, during the period preceding Hajj season, Saudi Arabia shuts down the Umrah visa scheme in phases: an end date for issuance of Umrah visas, an end date for entry into the Kingdom with an Umrah visa, and an end date for leaving the Kingdom for the Umrah pilgrims. Travellers from the UK, who either have or are thinking about applying for the Saudi ETA, may well be curious about whether there is an analogous shutdown for their ETA too. There isn’t, but the reasons behind that are better understood by distinguishing two distinct issues here.
Umrah Visa | Saudi ETA | |
Purpose | Performing Umrah specifically | Tourism, business, short-term study |
Validity | Tied to the Umrah season; stops being issued on the annual cut-off date | Valid for its own 1-year, multiple-entry period, independent of the Hajj calendar |
Affected by Hajj closure? | Yes — issuance stops, and holders must exit by the deadline | Not suspended, but Makkah entry is separately restricted for a wider window around Hajj |
Covers Umrah or Hajj travel? | Yes, for Umrah | No — the ETA explicitly excludes Hajj, and Umrah on an ETA still falls outside Makkah during the Hajj restriction window |
The significant point in all of this is that it is during the Hajj period when the Makkah access ban comes into force and not an expiry of ETA.
During the Hajj period, the government of Saudi Arabia bans entry into the city of Makkah for anyone who does not have a Hajj permit, no matter what kind of visa or authorisation the individual has on his person. This is true of ETA holders as much as it is for holders of any other tourist visa. throughout this period; it is specifically the holy city of Makkah that becomes off-limits.
This Makkah restriction window is usually wider than the Umrah visa closure itself. It often begins a few days before the Umrah exit deadline and continues until shortly after Hajj concludes, once the Kingdom has had time to reset the city for regular travel.
The ETA was never a legitimate means of entering Makkah for Umrah during the pre-Hajj closure period, or even during the Hajj season itself. For the Umrah pilgrimage, a special Umrah visa must be obtained or an eligible tourist visa for the Umrah season, while Hajj requires a separate visa.
Since your ETA has already been issued and remains valid, it will not “expire” together with the cut-off dates for Umrah. At the same time, it will not allow you to enter Makkah when the Hajj restriction window comes into effect because this depends on the destination and purpose of the visit and not the type of visa.
The exact dates of the Makkah restriction window for the upcoming Hajj season are traditionally announced by the Saudi government closer to the date, so if your travels are planned in the vicinity of this period, it is better to familiarise yourself with the exact dates rather than rely on the last year’s schedule.
No. The ETA continues to be valid on its own 1-year, multiple-entry basis. It isn’t suspended or cancelled by the Umrah visa closure dates.
No. Regardless of a valid ETA, Makkah is closed to anyone without a Hajj permit during the restriction window each year. The ETA doesn’t override this.
Outside the Hajj restriction period, some UK travellers use tourist e-visas for Umrah-related travel, but the ETA itself is framed around tourism, business, and short-term study rather than pilgrimage specifically. For a dedicated Umrah trip, applying for the proper Umrah visa through a licensed agent remains the more reliable route.
Because they serve different purposes. The Umrah visa exists specifically for pilgrimage, so it’s directly tied to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s seasonal calendar. The ETA is a general entry authorisation for tourism and business, so it isn’t structured around the pilgrimage calendar in the same way, even though Makkah access is still restricted for both during the Hajj period.
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Written By: Yasir Ali
A senior advisor at Taqwa Tours with over a decade of Umrah planning experience. Every article is written by our in‑house travel experts who have guided thousands of pilgrims from the UK. We share only accurate, up‑to‑date information to help you prepare for your journey.
