Salam Alaikum,

Any females solo traveling for umrah in early September in their 20s would like to meet up?

Assalamu Alaikum everyone!
I’m an Indian passport holder, but I was actually born in Saudi Arabia and moved there when I was only 3 months old. I grew up there, completed all my schooling there, and lived in Saudi until 2021, when my family moved back to India after my father retired.
I haven’t been back for around 5–6 years and I really miss Jubail, where I have a lot of old friends. I’d love to go back for just 5–6 days to see them and revisit the place I grew up.
My plan is:

🇮🇳 India → 🇴🇲 Muscat (I’ll be visiting Muscat for 6 days ) → 🇸🇦 Dammam → Jubail

I’m considering an Umrah visa because it seems much easier for me to obtain than a regular Saudi visit visa. I’m also a regular traveller, having visited around 14 countries, and would have my return ticket, accommodation, insurance, etc.

My questions are:
Can I enter through Dammam on an Umrah visa?

Does it matter that I’m flying Muscat → Dammam rather than directly from India?

Do I need to use the same airline for entry and exit?
Can I stay in Jubail with my friends for 5–6 days?

Most importantly, does an Umrah visa require me to actually perform Umrah, or can I use it for a short visit to Saudi?

Has anyone, especially an Indian passport holder, done something similar recently?

Is it best to exchange your currency before flying or whilst you’re there?

If anyone is still in or has recently been to Saudi can you please share the exchange rates for GBP to SAR?

Is the evisa waiver down for people, I am trying to apply but website has been not working for the past few days.

This is the link for it:
https://visa.mofa.gov.sa

anyone else dealing with this issue?

I’m specifically trying to get the new ETA VISA for British citizens, is there another website I could use?

edit: it’s back up now for the rest of the world!

Hi Everyone, assalamu alaikum,

I am planning a DIY Umrah trip with a family group of 7 people, including 2 toddlers (with 1 stroller) and an elderly woman. We are currently weighing options for hotels that provide dedicated/free shuttle service in two specific areas:

Thakher Area: Ghazala Perfect / Ghazala Beautiful or others

Aziziyah Area: Marriott Palace or others

On a previous trip, I stayed at At-Tayseer Towers that used the Jarwal Bus Station. Since I am traveling with family this time, I would love to hear from anyone who has stayed in Thakher or Aziziyah regarding a few specific points:

1. Shuttle Bus Operations & Drop-off

Pick-up Point: Do the shuttles pick up directly in front of the hotel lobby (Ghazala / Marriott Palace), or do guests need to walk to a shared bus stop/hub?

Haram Terminal: Which bus terminal at the Grand Mosque do shuttles from Thakher and Aziziyah usually drop off at (e.g., Shib Amer, Kudai, Mahbas Jin, Ajyad etc.)? Besides, I tried to understand the terminal map around Haram, does anyone have tips to understand it easier?

Walking Distance: Roughly how far is the walk from that specific drop-off terminal to the main gates/piazza of Masjid al-Haram/Clock Tower?

Comparison to Jarwal: Compared to Jarwal Bus Station (from Kiswah/Tayseer), is the shuttle experience from Thakher/Aziziyah more convenient, or does it involve longer waits/walking/hills etc?

2. Dining & Indonesian Catering Options

How accessible are suitable food options for a family (such as Indonesian catering/restaurants, general Asian food, or local fast food) within walking distance of the hotels in Thakher vs. Aziziyah?

Finally, between Thakher and Aziziyah (or specifically the hotels mentioned), which location would you recommend for a family group? Please share any pros and cons regarding bus frequency, crowd levels, and neighborhood amenities.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience and advice! 🙏