eSIM for Umrah 2026: Which Saudi Data Pack to Buy

The 1448 AH Umrah season opened on 31 May 2026, and the ministry's calendar sets 9 March 2027 as the last day for issuing Umrah visas, 23 March 2027 as the last day of entry and 7 April 2027 as the last day of departure (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah). Umrah permits and visits to Al-Rawdah are booked in Nusuk, the official app (Nusuk), so most pilgrims want mobile data from the moment they land in Jeddah or Madinah.

This guide is for families in Pakistan choosing that data, often for parents: a travel eSIM, a Saudi SIM bought on arrival, or a Jazz, Zong or Ufone roaming bundle. It covers which pack to pick, what works and what doesn't, and how to set a phone up before the flight.

Is an eSIM enough for Umrah, or do I need a Saudi SIM?

For most pilgrims, yes. A travel eSIM gives your phone Saudi mobile data for Nusuk, maps, ride-hailing apps and WhatsApp. It is data only: there is no Saudi phone number, so it cannot make normal calls or receive SMS. Keep your Pakistani SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and use WhatsApp over the eSIM's data.

Two things decide whether it will work for you:

• An eSIM-capable phone. Every iPhone from the XS, XS Max and XR onwards supports eSIM, except iPhones sold in mainland China, where Apple lists only a few recent models (Apple Support). Many Android phones do too, but Samsung says support can depend on the country a model was made for, even when the model is on its list (Samsung UK). Check the actual phone, not just the model name.
• An unlocked phone. Apple says a carrier-locked iPhone can't use another network's eSIM while travelling (Apple Support). JV iPhones are usually carrier-locked units (Daily Pakistan). On an iPhone, Settings > General > About shows "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock when it is unlocked, and only the original carrier can unlock it (Apple Support).

If either is missing, a roaming bundle on your Pakistani SIM or a Saudi SIM bought on arrival is the practical choice.

Will a travel eSIM work in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and on the train?

Saudi Arabia's mobile networks are run by STC, Mobily and Zain, the three operators in CST's 2024 spectrum auction (CST). Our Saudi packs connect to local Saudi networks, so in the cities your signal is that network's signal. We don't name the network, and we can't promise signal everywhere, including the whole Haramain train journey.

We found no official coverage information for the Haramain high-speed line between Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah, so plan as if signal may drop on the way. Two backups take five minutes at home:

1. Save Makkah and Madinah as offline areas in Google Maps. Offline, you still see the map and can navigate by car within the downloaded area, but Google says walking and transit directions don't work offline, and offline maps expire and need updating (Google Maps Help).
2. Screenshot your Umrah permit, train ticket, hotel booking and group leader's number before you set off, so you can show them even when there is no signal.

Which Saudi data pack should I buy for 10, 15 or 21 days?

Choose a 30-day pack for any Umrah longer than a week, because our 7-day Saudi packs end before a 10-day trip is over. Then choose the size by how you use your phone: messages, maps and Nusuk need little, while daily WhatsApp video calls home need much more. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in Saudi Arabia.

As of November 2026 our Saudi packs come in 7-day and 30-day versions. A rough guide:

Video calls are what use the most data. Verizon estimates an internet voice call at about 67 MB an hour and a video call at about 254 MB an hour (Verizon). On that estimate, a 30-minute video call home every day for 15 days comes to roughly 1.9 GB on its own, before maps, photos and social media. Our guide to how much data you need abroad breaks this down by app.

eSIM, Saudi SIM or Pakistani roaming: which suits you?

Each suits a different pilgrim. Pakistani roaming keeps your own number working, and some bundles include minutes. A Saudi SIM gives you a local number, but means queueing at a counter with your passport and fingerprints. A travel eSIM is set up at home before you fly, with no counter, but it gives data only, with no number.

Gulf News describes the Saudi visitor SIM process: a passport copy, your visa or border number and fingerprint registration, with STC, Zain and Mobily kiosks in the arrivals hall at Jeddah airport (Gulf News). That article was last updated in 2023, so check the details on arrival.

Prices vary more than people expect. When we checked on 2 November 2026, and counting the 15% tax on prepaid recharges, Ufone's 2.5 GB to 10 GB Saudi buckets were cheaper per GB than our 30-day packs up to 20 GB (Ufone). Our 30-day packs were cheaper per GB than similar-sized Jazz and Zong bundles from 3 GB up (Jazz), and than Ufone from 30 GB. The full dated table, in cash per GB, is in Jazz, Zong & Ufone Umrah packages vs eSIM.

Do WhatsApp calls work in Saudi Arabia?

WhatsApp calls are generally reported to work in Saudi Arabia since early 2025, but this has not been officially confirmed. When the regulator opened up internet calling in 2017, WhatsApp calls were left out, and in February 2025 users reported them working without any announcement. If a call won't connect, send a voice note, or try FaceTime (iPhone to iPhone).

The history, briefly:

• September 2017: the regulator (then CITC, now CST) lifted its ban on internet calls for apps that met its requirements, naming FaceTime and Skype among others, but WhatsApp calls stayed blocked (Arab News).
• February 2025: Gulf News reported that many users could make WhatsApp voice and video calls, with no official word on whether the change was permanent (Gulf News).
• Jazz says WhatsApp audio and video calls work on its Saudi roaming bundles (Jazz). That is an operator describing its own service, not a regulator's statement.

We can't promise that WhatsApp calls will connect on any Saudi connection, ours included. Your family in Pakistan can keep calling your usual WhatsApp number, which we explain in keeping your WhatsApp number abroad.

Does the Nusuk app need mobile data?

On a local Saudi SIM, no. In August 2025 the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, with stc, Mobily and Zain, made Nusuk usable without a data plan for people using local SIM cards (Pilgrim Experience Program). It says nothing about roaming or travel eSIMs, so on a travel eSIM or Pakistani roaming, expect Nusuk to use your normal data allowance.

Nusuk calls itself the official platform supervised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, for Umrah permits, Rawdah visit permits and guides to Makkah and Madinah (Nusuk). The no-data access covers Rawdah permits, Haramain train tickets, Nusuk maps and the app's AI assistant (Pilgrim Experience Program).

Practical tip: create the Nusuk account, sign in and book what you can at home on Wi-Fi, especially on a parent's phone. Then screenshot the permits.

One phone with hotspot, or an eSIM for each person?

If your family will stay together, one larger pack on one phone, shared by hotspot, is simple and usually costs less per GB than several small packs. If people will split up, for example men and women going to different prayer areas, give each phone its own eSIM, because a hotspot only reaches people standing nearby.

Hotspot is allowed on all our packs. To share data:

• iPhone: Settings > Personal Hotspot > turn on "Allow Others to Join", and set a Wi-Fi password of at least eight characters (Apple Support).
• Samsung: Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > turn on Mobile Hotspot (Samsung US).

Buying for your parents

If you are arranging data for your parents, a few things make it smooth:

1. Check the phone first. It must support eSIM and be unlocked (see the first section). Do this before you pay.
2. Install it for them at home, on Wi-Fi, a few days before the flight. On an iPhone, label the line "Saudi data" under Settings > Cellular > the line > Cellular Plan Label (Apple Support), so it is easy to find later.
3. If you are not with them, forward the QR code from WhatsApp or email to a sibling who is. On iOS 17.4 or later, a QR code in an email can be added on the same iPhone by touching and holding it, then tapping "Add eSIM" (Apple Support).
4. Write down the two steps for landing: use the eSIM for mobile data, and turn on data roaming for it (next section).

How do I install it in Pakistan and switch it on in Jeddah?

Install the eSIM at home a day or two before the flight, on Wi-Fi, by scanning the QR code. Leave your Pakistani SIM as the line for calls and SMS. When you land in Saudi Arabia, make the eSIM your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for it. Validity only starts when it first connects there.

1. Pay by JazzCash, Easypaisa or bank transfer. We check the payment by hand, and the QR code arrives on WhatsApp and email within 6 hours of the payment being confirmed.
2. Install it. On iPhone, scan the QR code with the Camera app, tap "Cellular Plan Detected", then Continue and Add Cellular Plan (Apple Support). On Samsung, go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM > Scan QR code (Samsung UK).
3. On landing, iOS 26 may show "Turn On Travel eSIM". Choosing "Travel eSIM and Current eSIM" keeps your Pakistani line active, though Apple notes the home line may still incur roaming fees (Apple Support). Otherwise go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and pick the eSIM.
4. Turn on Data Roaming for the eSIM line (Settings > Cellular > the eSIM > Cellular Data Options > Data Roaming), and leave data roaming off on your Pakistani line so it doesn't run up charges (Apple Support).

Our setup guide shows these screens, and how to install a travel eSIM covers Pixel phones and what to do if the QR code is on the same phone. When you're ready, see our Saudi Arabia eSIM packs.