UAE
Saudi Arabia
The Nusuk app is the official app of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's Nusuk platform. Pilgrims use it to book their Umrah permit and a time slot to pray in the Rawdah at Masjid an-Nabawi. Register with your passport and visa details before you travel, book the Rawdah early, and arrive at your gate on time.
Key points
- Nusuk is the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's official platform, and its app is where pilgrims book Umrah and Rawdah permits.
- Register before you leave Pakistan, entering your name and passport details exactly as they appear on your visa.
- Rawdah slots are separate for men and women and are released in limited numbers, so book early and keep checking if none show.
- The app's layout changes from season to season, so follow the current screens rather than old screenshots or videos.
- Carry a charged phone and reach the Rawdah gate before your time, as staff check your permit before letting you in.
The Nusuk app is the official app of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and for pilgrims from Pakistan it does the two jobs that matter most: booking your Umrah permit, and booking a time slot to pray in the Rawdah, the blessed area of Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah. Our Umrah visa guide lists these permits alongside the visa rules; this article explains how the app fits into your trip.
The app is updated often and its menus move between versions, so the steps below describe the general flow rather than exact button names. If you travel with VisaWala's Umrah and Hajj service, we brief you on documents and timings before you leave.
What is the Nusuk app?
Nusuk is the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's official platform for pilgrims and visitors. It includes Nusuk Umrah, where you can book Umrah packages from Saudi-licensed providers, and the Nusuk app on your phone, where you book permits for Umrah and for the Rawdah. The app also carries information for visitors, and its features change from season to season.
Download it only from your phone's official app store, and check you have the genuine app against the official Nusuk website. Nusuk has replaced older apps that pilgrims used in past years, so if someone tells you to install a different app for permits, check first.
Which permits do you book in the Nusuk app?
Under current rules, these are the bookings a pilgrim from Pakistan is most likely to need:
| Booking | What it is for | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Umrah permit | A date and time to perform Umrah at Masjid al-Haram | Pilgrims performing Umrah, under current rules |
| Rawdah permit | A timed slot to pray in the Rawdah at Masjid an-Nabawi | Anyone who wants to pray in the Rawdah |
| No permit | Daily prayers in Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi | Nobody: ordinary prayers need no booking |
How you get the Umrah permit depends on your visa type and the rules in force: for some pilgrims it appears in the account once the visa is linked, while others book it themselves. Check the app after your visa is issued so there are no surprises in Makkah.
Nusuk Umrah booking vs booking through an operator
Nusuk Umrah lets you book a package, with or without a visa, directly from a Saudi-licensed provider, and what is offered depends on your country of residence. A Pakistani operator attested by the Ministry of Religious Affairs books through its Saudi partners instead, and usually adds flights, face-to-face help in Urdu and a regulator in Pakistan you can complain to. Our Umrah visa hub sets out both booking routes.
Booking on Nusuk suits confident travellers who are comfortable arranging their own flights. Families, first-time pilgrims and anyone travelling with elderly relatives often prefer an operator. Our guide to Umrah packages from Pakistan shows how to compare what operators include. Whichever route you take, you will still use the Nusuk app for permits once the visa is issued.
How to set up the Nusuk app before you travel
Set the app up at home on good Wi-Fi, not in a hotel lobby in Makkah with a weak signal. The general steps are:
- Download the official Nusuk app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Create an account with your email address and a mobile number that will receive messages while you are in Saudi Arabia, or make sure your email works on your phone.
- Add your details as a visitor: passport number, nationality and, once issued, your visa details, entered exactly as they appear on the visa.
- Add family members if your version of the app allows it; if not, each adult may need an account of their own.
- Choose the language you read most comfortably from those the app offers.
Your visa must be correct before the app will accept it. If the name or passport number on the visa is wrong, fix that first; our Umrah visa requirements checklist explains what has to match.
How to book your Umrah permit in Nusuk
If your Umrah permit is not already in your account, sign in, choose the Umrah permit, select a date and time, and confirm. Pick a time you can realistically make, allowing for the drive from Jeddah or Madinah, checking in and a rest if you need one.
In Ramadan and other busy periods, demand for permits is higher and times are more tightly managed. If your plans change, cancel or change the booking in the app so the slot can go to someone else. Our step-by-step guide to performing Umrah covers what to do once you reach the Haram.
How to book Rawdah in Nusuk
The Rawdah, known in Urdu as Riaz ul Jannah, is the area of Masjid an-Nabawi between the Prophet's house and his minbar, peace be upon him. Because so many pilgrims want to pray there, entry is managed through time slots in the Nusuk app. The general flow for Rawdah booking is:
- Sign in and find the Rawdah or Masjid an-Nabawi permit among the app's services.
- Choose the person the permit is for. Slots for men and women are separate.
- Pick a date and an available time. If nothing shows, check again later, as new slots are released over time.
- Confirm the booking. The permit then appears in the app, usually with a code that staff check at entry.
- Go to the gate shown on the permit a little before your time, with your phone charged.
Under current rules, the number of Rawdah visits you can book within a given period is limited, and the app shows when you can book again, so do not book a slot you may not use.
Tips for a calm Rawdah visit
- Book as soon as the app allows. Slots in Ramadan and the holidays go fastest; our guide to Umrah in Ramadan explains why that month needs extra planning.
- Men and women enter through different gates at different times, so check the details on your own permit.
- Arrive early and expect to wait in a queue inside the mosque before your group is let in.
- Keep the visit short so others can pray: offer your prayers and du'a, then move on as staff direct.
- Elderly pilgrims and wheelchair users should ask staff at the gate about access, as arrangements vary; our guide to Umrah with elderly parents has more on pacing the day.
- Keep your passport or ID with you, as you would anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
Women often find the Rawdah timings confusing at first. Our guide to Umrah for women from Pakistan covers the women's slots along with other practical points.
Nusuk app problems and how to fix them
Most problems come down to a detail typed differently from the visa or a phone that is not receiving messages abroad.
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Visa number not recognised | The visa was only just issued, or a detail was typed differently | Try again later, check each character against the visa and ask your operator to confirm the details |
| No verification code arriving | Your Pakistani number is not receiving messages abroad | Switch on roaming, use the email option if offered, or add a Saudi SIM number |
| Name rejected | The spelling differs from the passport | Enter the name exactly as printed in your passport and on your visa |
| No Rawdah slots showing | Slots for those dates are fully booked | Check at different times of day and try other dates during your stay |
| Permit in the wrong name | A family member's profile was selected | Cancel it in the app if you can and book again for the right person |
| App crashes or will not load | An old version or a weak connection | Update the app, restart your phone and try on hotel Wi-Fi |
If none of this works, use the support options inside the app or on the Nusuk website. VisaWala's travel assistance can also help you sort out a local SIM before or after you land.
Never pay anyone who offers to sell you a Rawdah permit. Genuine permits are issued through Nusuk itself, in the name of the person visiting.
Plan your Umrah and Madinah visit with VisaWala
VisaWala arranges Umrah packages with the visa, flights, hotels in Makkah and Madinah and transport, briefs you on documents and timings before you leave, and stays reachable on WhatsApp while you are away. For older relatives we can arrange airport transfers and wheelchair requests. Start with a free consultation on our Hajj and Umrah page or through the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nusuk app free?
The app is free to download from the official app stores, and permits such as the Rawdah slot are booked inside it. Packages on Nusuk Umrah are paid for, as with any provider. Be wary of anyone who wants money to ‘arrange’ a permit that you can book yourself on your own phone in a few minutes.
Can I book a Rawdah permit from Pakistan before I travel?
That depends on the current rules and on whether your visa is already linked to your account. Some pilgrims can see slots before they fly, while others can only book once they are in Saudi Arabia. Register and link your visa at home, then check the Rawdah option; if it is not available yet, try again after you land.
Can I book Rawdah for my elderly mother on my phone?
Many families manage permits for relatives from one phone, where the app allows family members to be added. Each permit must be in the name of the person visiting, and women's slots are separate from men's, so your mother needs a women's slot. Make sure she, or the woman going in with her, has the permit to hand at the gate.
What is the Riaz ul Jannah permit?
Riaz ul Jannah is the Urdu name for the Rawdah, the area of Masjid an-Nabawi between the Prophet's house and his minbar, described in a hadith as a garden from the gardens of Paradise. The permit is a timed entry slot booked in the Nusuk app. You do not need one for ordinary prayers elsewhere in the mosque.
Do I need the Nusuk app if I travel with a group?
Usually yes, though your group leader may handle bookings for everyone. Ask before you travel who is responsible for Umrah and Rawdah permits, and whether you need your own account. Even if the leader books, having the app on your own phone lets you see your permit times and gives you a useful backup.
What happens if I miss my Rawdah slot?
Staff generally admit pilgrims only during their booked time, so a missed slot is usually lost. You can try to book another in the app, subject to availability and the current limits on visits. To avoid it, plan the walk from your hotel, leave early, and do not book a slot that clashes with a ziyarat tour.
Planning Umrah or Hajj?
Tell us when you hope to travel and who is going. We call back with options, and confirm hotels, flights and the full cost in writing before you pay.
