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The Nusuk app is the official platform for booking a Rawdah permit in Madinah. UK travellers register with their passport and an approved Saudi travel authorisation, then book a slot on a colour-coded calendar. A permit is required to enter, and current Ministry of Hajj and Umrah guidance limits each person to one booking every 365 days.
Quick answer: download the Nusuk app, register as an international visitor, link your approved Saudi Umrah visa, tourist eVisa or ETA number, verify your account by email OTP, then book a Rawdah slot on the colour-coded calendar. You can only hold one Rawdah permit every 365 days, per the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Rules and booking windows can change. Always check the official Nusuk platform and current GOV.UK Saudi Arabia pilgrimage guidance before you travel.
Nusuk is the official app for Hajj and Umrah, run by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. For UK travellers, its main practical use is booking a Rawdah permit, the entry pass for the small area inside the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah known as Riyazul Jannah.
Entry to the Rawdah is permit-only. Staff check bookings at the gate, and this applies to all nationalities, including British passport holders. There's no walk-up alternative, so the permit needs to be booked in advance through the app.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's rule is clear: a Rawdah permit can only be booked once every 365 days per person, counted from the date of your last permit, not the calendar year. This applies whether your trip falls in 2026 or 2027.
One update is worth knowing about. Pilgrims who are already physically near the mosque can, in some cases, use an "Immediate Path" service to pray again without waiting the full 365 days. This is a convenience layered on top of the main rule, not a replacement for it, and it doesn't apply to everyone in every situation. Check your own eligibility in the app rather than assuming it applies to you.
Step 1: Download the Nusuk app. It's available on the App Store and Google Play, and works on both iPhone and Android. Open the app, select English, and choose International Visitor status. This tells Nusuk you're not a Saudi citizen or resident.
Step 2: Link your approved visa or ETA number. Enter the number from your approved Saudi Umrah visa, tourist eVisa or ETA, matching your passport exactly. This step only works once your travel authorisation is active. If linking fails, check whether your visa or ETA has actually finished processing before trying again.
Step 3: Verify your account with an OTP code. Nusuk emails a one-time passcode to confirm the account is yours. Enter it in the app. If it doesn't arrive within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder before requesting a new one.
Nusuk shows Rawdah availability on a colour-coded calendar. Grey means the date isn't open for booking yet. Red means the slot is full. Green means it's available to book.
New slots tend to release in batches a few days ahead, and many UK pilgrims report checking the app around midday Saudi time, roughly 9am to 10am UK time depending on the season, since that's when fresh availability commonly appears.
Men and women have separate Rawdah booking categories, with different time slots and entry arrangements for each. Select the correct category before choosing a slot, since the two aren't interchangeable and each permit sits under its own booking.
No slots showing on the calendar. Check again later. New batches release periodically, including late at night in Saudi Arabia.
The visa number won't link. Confirm your visa or ETA is fully approved, not just submitted. A pending application won't link to Nusuk.
The QR code won't scan at the gate. Turn up your screen brightness, and carry your passport as a backup in case the scan fails.
Booked the wrong time or gender category. Cancel the permit in the app, then rebook the correct one straight away.
The app freezes or crashes. Close it fully, reopen it, and check for a pending app update in your app store.
TravelApp is a UK travel agency specialising in flights, holidays and Umrah packages, not a visa or pilgrimage authority, so we can't book your Nusuk permit or confirm your eligibility for you. What we can help with is the rest of the trip: book your flights to Saudi Arabia, or browse our fully guided Umrah packages from the UK, including Ramadan Umrah packages.
Always confirm current entry and pilgrimage rules before you fly. The GOV.UK Saudi Arabia pilgrimage guidance covers current entry and safety advice, and the Council of British Hajjis publishes UK-specific updates worth tracking ahead of booking windows.
Quick answers to common questions. Reach out if you need more help.
No. You need an active, approved visa or ETA first. Nusuk checks this number when you link your account, and the link only works once your travel authorisation is confirmed.
Once every 365 days. This is counted from your last permit date, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah applies this rule to all nationalities.
Check back later in the day. New slots release in batches, often overnight in Saudi time, so it's worth checking again the next morning too.
No. Men and women have separate booking categories and separate time slots, so always select the correct category before choosing your appointment.
Policy can change, so check the current rule in the app before you travel. Many young children travelling with a parent don't need their own slot, but confirm this yourself on Nusuk rather than assuming it.
