Umrah Season 2026-27 Calendar: Every Visa, Entry & Departure Deadline
The Umrah season 2026-27 Calendar highlights the key deadlines Canadian pilgrims need to know before planning their journey. For the Umrah season 2026-27, visa issuance closes on March 9, 2027, and entry into Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa closes on March 23, 2027. The main blackout period to plan around is the Hajj season, from 1 Dhul Qi’dah to 13 Dhul Hijjah, when Umrah-visa entry is suspended entirely.
Umrah season 2026-27 Calendar: Why the Two Dates Matter Differently
| Milestone | Date |
| Umrah visa issuance closes | March 9, 2027 |
| Last date to enter Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa | March 23, 2027 |
| Hajj blackout (no Umrah-visa entry) | 1 Dhul Qi’dah 13 Dhul Hijjah |
| Practical booking window before season close | Aim to have flights, hotel and transport confirmed at least 6–8 weeks ahead of your travel date |
Umrah Season 2026–27 Calendar: Why the Two Dates Matter Differently
These two dates get confused constantly, and mixing them up is the single most common-season-calendar mistake.
Visa issuance closing (March 9, 2027) is the last date the visa itself can be issued. If your application isn’t approved and the visa granted by this date, you cannot travel on it for this season regardless of when you intended to fly.
Entry closing (March 23, 2027) is different: it’s the last date you can physically enter Saudi Arabia on a valid Umrah visa for this season, even if the visa itself was issued earlier. Miss this date and an already issued visa doesn’t help you; you’re outside the entry window.
The gap between the two, roughly two weeks, is the margin most people misjudge. A visa issued on March 5 still gives you until March 23 to travel. A visa application submitted late enough that it isn’t approved until after March 9 doesn’t get issued for the season at all.
Working Backwards From Your Travel Date
The safest approach is to work backwards, not forwards, when using the Umrah season 2026-27 Calendar to plan your trip.
| Your target travel window | What to have confirmed, and by when |
| Travelling in the final two weeks before entry closes | Visa should already be issued well before March 9, don’t leave this to the deadline |
| Travelling mid-season (e.g. January– February) | Apply with enough runway that processing delays don’t push you past your own dates |
| Travelling early in the season | Fewer date pressure issues, but hotel and flight availability is often tighter around Ramadan if that falls within the window |
Important Deadlines in the Umrah Season 2026–27 Calendar
The two key dates in the Umrah season 2026-27 Calendar are the visa issuance deadline and the Saudi Arabia entry deadline. Understanding the difference between these dates can help pilgrims avoid last-minute visa and travel problems.
The Hajj Blackout Period
The Hajj blackout period is an important part of the Umrah season 2026-27 Calendar because Umrah-visa entry is suspended from 1 Dhul Qi’dah to 13 Dhul Hijjah every year. This isn’t specific to 2026–27; it’s a standing rule. If your travel plans sit anywhere near this window, confirm the exact Gregorian dates for the specific year you’re travelling, since the Islamic calendar shifts roughly 10–11 days earlier each Gregorian year.
What the Umrah Season 2026–27 Calendar Means for Your Trip
For self-arranged pilgrims coordinating flights, visa, hotel, and ground transport independently, the season calendar is really a planning tool for sequencing everything else.
Solo or couple, flexible dates: build in a buffer of at least two to three weeks before the entry-close date, so a processing delay doesn’t put your visa at risk.
Family group, fixed school-holiday dates: apply as early as the visa system allows for your travel window; families have less flexibility to shift dates if there’s a hold-up
Anyone considering a second trip within the same season: check whether the multiple-entry visa makes more sense than applying twice.
Once your dates and visa are locked in, the next planning step is ground transport — Jeddah Airport to Makkah is a fixed 250 SAR for a sedan and takes about 1.5 hours, worth booking ahead so it’s one less thing to arrange after a long flight.
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What’s the difference between visa issuance closing and entry closing?
Issuance closing (March 9, 2027) is the last date the visa can be granted. Entry closing (March 23, 2027) is the last date you can physically enter Saudi Arabia on that visa. A visa issued before March 9 remains usable for entry up to March 23.
If my visa is issued in February, do I still need to enter by March 23?
Yes, entry closing applies regardless of when within the season your visa was issued.
Does the Hajj blackout period change every year?
The Islamic calendar dates (1 Dhul Qi’dah to 13 Dhul Hijjah) are fixed in the Hijri calendar, but they fall on different Gregorian dates each year; always check the specific year you’re travelling
How far ahead should Canadians start the visa process?
There’s no fixed universal number, since processing times vary by season and volume, but building in several weeks of buffer before any relevant deadline is the safer approach, especially for family or group travel
Does this calendar apply to the multi-entry visa as well as the standard single-entry visa?
The Umrah season 2026-27 (issuance and entry close) apply to the season’s visa issuance generally. The multi-entry visa additionally carries its own 365-day validity and 90-day cumulative stay rules on top of the season calendar see our separate guide on how that visa works.
Where can I confirm these dates are still current?
Nusuk.sa is the official platform and the authoritative source; always cross-check season dates there before finalising non-refundable bookings.