You need people or organizations who are knowledgeable and eager to support you on your lucky journey. Those travel agents that, while competing to offer you the most affordable Umrah packages, take your comfort seriously, take into account their experience, and maintain a strategic plan to provide you with all the amenities and transportation that will lessen your hardships in the blessed grounds.
Characteristics of a Good Umrah travel agency
There are a few characteristics that you need to keep in mind before choosing the best umrah travel agency.
Take Good Care Of Your Paperwork
There are a few simple conditions that must be met before you can reserve an Umrah, but before you can do that, you must select a reliable travel agency that can handle all of the necessary paperwork. Organizing the paperwork for a 2019 umrah trip can be very stressful and time-consuming. It will be best if you employ someone to handle all of your papers if this is your first time.
Requirements of umrah packages
You need to prepare the following documents before submitting your Umrah visa application form:
- Umrah visa application form.
- One recent passport photograph.
- Valid passport with a six-month validity period (from the date you submit your application).
- Purchased non-refundable flight tickets.
- Evidence of a relationship between female pilgrims and their ‘mahram’ (partner/brother/father).*
- Health insurance covering Covid-19 infections as well.
- Proof of meningitis vaccination at least ten days before traveling but not older than three years.
Umrah package according to your financial condition
There are a few categories into which umrah travel has been separated, and there are several packages which suit each category of individuals according to their financial circumstances. If you purchase the best umrah packages for the family, you can receive a special discount on all of them.
Previous Record
Before choosing a firm for your Umrah trip, you must research their history. Check out the company’s reputation by reading reviews left by prior clients. More than 2500 customers have received excellent Hajj and Umrah services from Travel.pk, making us the best Umrah specialist in Pakistan. Our goal is to make sure that your travel and lodging needs, as well as those of your friends and family, are met completely to your satisfaction. Get a guide on performing Umrah for the first time here.
Tips while choosing an Umrah Package
Type of Package
Most of you would likely require a cheap Umrah package if you were traveling with your families.
The majority of booking applications in Pakistan give you access to pre-made or specially designed Umrah packages based on your requirements. You might receive numerous savings for each individual by taking into account the group Umrah package. The cost per person drops as more individuals participate, making it possible for anyone on a tight budget to engage with a group of people. The group type Umrah package may offer less amenities, but it will still fit within your budget. However, people who value their privacy and depend on high-quality services can also rely on the customized package.
Check The Affiliation
The legitimacy of the organization should be the second item you check on any umrah service provider’s website or actual location. You should inquire about any written documentation or online connections they may have with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj. People have had a lot of problems in the past when they use a travel agency that isn’t connected to the ministry and is constrained from giving pilgrims the best lodging and transportation options. To get the best and cheapest Umrah package for yourself, you must conduct thorough research. Because of this study’s ability to save you money while simultaneously educating your friends and family who plan on performing umrah.
Search Accommodations
When working with a travel or tourism company to arrange your Umrah, be sure to look into each option on the list’s hotel section. The majority of the time, the hotels they give you as part of the package tend to be extremely far from the Holy locations of Mecca and Medina because there are many things that can impact you based on faulty lodging knowledge. However, most tour operators and travel service providers do not factor in the 200-meter land area that surrounds Mecca when calculating distance.
For example, if a travel agent mentions a hotel as being 1000 meters from Mecca, you should take that as 1200 meters. You may also use Google Maps to check the distance between a hotel and a place of worship. It offers you a clear indication of how long it will take you to walk or ride a car to get to both locations. The greatest option for you is the one with the ideal distance and good service ratings on Google from previous customers. Therefore, all that is required of you is that you approve the service provider who offers appropriate accommodations in the Umrah Packages.
Track Your Hidden Cost
It would be beneficial if you looked up all of the Umrah packages 2022 offers that the service providers are offering on their websites or when you meet them in person. The following step should require you to contact them or go to their offices. Make sure to go over every important aspect of the services they are offering when you meet with them. Additionally, you should be aware of the items that are not crucial yet are listed in the packaging. You could cut back on things that are unnecessary or have nothing to do with umrah in this way and save money.
In addition, you should speak with them and inquire about the price they are charging for the services. You sometimes assume that the prices listed in the package would be adequate for your Umrah, therefore you must inquire about any hidden fees. If there are any hidden fees included in the package, you can adjust your budget accordingly.
How to get a visa for umrah
- Find an approved travel agency. To apply for an Umrah visa, you have to contact an approved travel agency in your home country. The travel agent will be in charge of preparing your application and your journey for the Umrah pilgrimage. Most agencies will provide you with several packages at a different price range to choose the one that best suits you. Find approved agents in your country here.
- Prepare your documents. Make sure the required documents you need for the application are ready and up-to-date; you are in charge of sending the documents to your travel agency. Afterward, the agency will proceed with the rest of the application.
- Register on the Umrah apps. Once you enter the country, you need to download two obligatory apps on your phone:
- Tawakkalna app. You have to download and register on Tawakalna after entering the country as it’s mandatory, and it works only in Saudi Arabia. The app will contain all your vaccination records, which you need to display when you enter hotels, restaurants, and the masjids.
- Amarna app. With this application, you can get your prayer permits and have them linked to your Tawakalna.
New Umrah Fees
As of 2022, an Umrah visa application costs between $380 to $490. But, the visa fees are liable to change from country to country. For example, service fees from the UK cost £89 ($120), while from the US, they range anywhere from $173 to $220.
Additionally, pilgrims are also required to pay for the Umrah travel package, raising the overall cost of Umrah between $1,500 to $2,000.