- The service will be accessible through Bookme’s website, mobile apps and integrated partner platforms
- The initiative will reduce reliance on intermediaries, lower consumers costs and increase transparency
KARACHI: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has partnered with Bookme travel technology platform to enable instant Umrah visa processing for Pakistani pilgrims, the travel platform said on Tuesday.
The initiative was implemented through a collaboration between Bookme, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and Elm Company, a key national digital infrastructure provider. As part of this collaboration, Bookme has enabled direct Umrah visa issuance within its platform, allowing Pakistani pilgrims to obtain visas through a fully digital process.
“What makes this breakthrough truly transformative is that the entire process is end-to-end automated and directly integrated with the Saudi government’s official visa issuance systems,” the travel platform said.
“There is no human intervention, no manual processing, and no requirement for physical documentation or in-person visits. The visa is issued through a fully digital, seamless, and real-time system, providing users with a one-click experience backed directly by Saudi authorities.”
The travel technology platform is headquartered in Pakistan, with operations across multiple regions providing digital booking services across travel, tourism, and mobility sectors. The company provides access to a wide range of services through its platform and partner integrations.
The partnership materialized at the opening ceremony of Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, an annual gathering of stakeholders from across the global Hajj and Umrah ecosystem, including government entities, travel operators, technology providers, and service partners. This year, the forum was held in Madinah from March 30 till April 1.
The solution was launched during the final ten days of Ramadan 2026, during which Umrah visas were issued through the platform. Pakistan is one of the largest source markets for Umrah pilgrims globally and the introduction of direct digital visa issuance is expected to improve access, transparency, and efficiency for pilgrims, while supporting Saudi Arabia’s broader objective of digitizing pilgrimage services under the Vision 2030 framework, according to Bookme.
By enabling direct, fully digital visa issuance within its platform, the initiative is expected to significantly reduce reliance on intermediaries, lowering overall costs for consumers while increasing transparency. Pilgrims will gain greater flexibility and control over their journey, with the ability to choose from a wide range of hotels, tours, and Ziyarah experiences at market-driven pricing.
The model allows users to customize their travel according to individual preferences, moving toward a more open and user-centric approach to Umrah planning.
“This partnership will fundamentally change how Pakistani pilgrims access Umrah by making the process instant, direct, and completely frictionless,” Bookme’s Founder and CEO Faizan Aslam said.
“Most importantly, it is powered by a fully automated system directly integrated with Saudi authorities. This is only the beginning, and several additional initiatives are already in the pipeline as part of this long-term collaboration.”
Source: Arab News
