Nusuk App Guide for U.S. Umrah Travelers
Last source check: September 25, 2026
Important: Nusuk rules and app behavior can change. This guide separates official Nusuk or Saudi Ministry rules from traveler-reported issues. For official requirements, the latest Nusuk and Ministry information takes priority.
Nusuk is the official Saudi platform used for services including Rawdah booking. This guide is written for U.S. travelers who need practical help when the normal Nusuk flow is confusing or does not work as expected.
KaabaSharif is not affiliated with Nusuk, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, or the Saudi government. This page is an independent traveler guide.
Quick official help
Inside Saudi Arabia: 1966
Outside Saudi Arabia: +966 9200 02814
General Ministry / Nusuk support: care@haj.gov.sa
Nusuk app support: hajcc@haj.gov.sa
Official contact page: Nusuk Contact Us
1. Getting started from the United States
1. Do U.S. travelers need the Nusuk app for Rawdah booking?
Yes. Nusuk says a Rawdah visit requires an advance booking through its booking service or through Instant Access when available.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
2. Can I create my Nusuk account and request a Rawdah appointment before arriving in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, international visitors can use Nusuk before arrival for eligible services. Booking availability is separate from eligibility, so being able to register does not mean your preferred Rawdah date will be available.
Source: Official Ministry guidance. Saudi Ministry guidance
3. What is the difference between the Nusuk app and the Nusuk Umrah website?
They are not always interchangeable. Travelers report that some account or booking behavior can differ between the website and the mobile app. For Rawdah rules and booking, use the current Nusuk app and official Nusuk guidance as the main reference.
If one surface works and the other does not, do not assume your account data is wrong. Check your active bookings and account information before making changes.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
4. Should every adult traveler have their own Nusuk account?
That is the safest setup. Nusuk's group-booking rules require added visitors to approve being added through their own Nusuk accounts.
For families, one person can manage the group booking after the other visitors approve the group.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
2. Rawdah booking basics
5. How do I book a regular Rawdah visit in Nusuk?
Open the Rawdah booking service in Nusuk, choose an available date and time, and complete the booking. Nusuk also offers Instant Access for eligible visitors who are near Masjid an Nabawi.
Availability can change quickly, so the dates you see may not remain available while you are completing the booking.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
6. How often can I book a regular Rawdah visit?
Nusuk currently says regular Rawdah booking is available once per year. Instant Access is separate and can allow additional visits when the visitor is eligible and appointments are available.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
7. What is Instant Access, and how is it different from regular Rawdah booking?
Regular booking lets you reserve an available future Rawdah appointment.
Instant Access is designed for visitors who are already in Madinah and near Masjid an Nabawi. It allows immediate or near-term booking based on current availability.
Instant Access is also different from regular booking because you cannot use it to add another visitor to your booking.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
8. How often do Instant Access appointments appear?
Nusuk says new Instant Access opportunities are made available every 20 minutes for visitors near Masjid an Nabawi, subject to availability.
This does not mean regular Rawdah appointments are guaranteed to open every 20 minutes.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
9. Can I book Rawdah on the same day?
Yes, if a regular appointment is available. Nusuk also says you can check Instant Access when normal same-day appointments are unavailable.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
10. What is the Rawdah waiting list?
If your preferred day has no suitable appointment, Nusuk allows you to join the waiting list for that day. Nusuk says you can receive a notification if appointments become available.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
11. Can I join waiting lists for several dates at the same time?
No. Nusuk says you can only be on one Rawdah waiting list at a time. You can leave one waiting list and then join another date.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
3. No slots, “Soon,” and disappearing availability
12. Why does Nusuk show “Soon,” a clock symbol, or no available Rawdah appointments?
Nusuk does not publicly explain every display state in one place.
Recent travelers report seeing future dates marked with symbols, “Soon,” or no appointments at all. These states can mean that no appointment is currently available to book, but we did not find an official rule that gives one universal meaning for every symbol.
The safest approach is to use the waiting list when available, continue checking the official booking service, and use Instant Access only when you are eligible for it.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
13. Why does a Rawdah slot disappear before I can confirm it?
This is a repeated traveler complaint. A time may appear available and then disappear or fail before the booking is completed.
That does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your account. Another visitor may have taken the slot, availability may have changed, or the app may have returned an error.
If the booking fails, check your active bookings first before trying again.
Source: Traveler reported. Nusuk Google Play listing and reviews
14. Do regular Rawdah appointments always open at :00, :20, and :40 or exactly two hours before?
We did not find an official rule saying that regular Rawdah appointments follow that schedule.
Some travelers report patterns like this, but reports are inconsistent. Nusuk's official 20-minute rule applies to Instant Access, not to normal future booking.
Treat exact timing tricks as traveler observations, not guaranteed rules.
Source: Traveler reported, not official. Traveler report
4. Confirmation, QR code, changes, and missed visits
15. Do I need to confirm attendance before my Rawdah appointment?
Yes. Nusuk says attendance confirmation opens 48 hours before your appointment and closes two hours before it. If you do not confirm in time, your booking may be canceled.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
16. When does my Rawdah QR code appear?
Nusuk says the entry QR code appears after you confirm your attendance. The QR code can be used once.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
17. How early should I arrive for Rawdah?
Nusuk recommends arriving 30 minutes before your appointment and going to the designated entrance with your entry code ready.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
18. Can I change my Rawdah appointment after confirming it?
Nusuk says a confirmed appointment cannot be modified.
You can cancel it and make a new booking if another appointment is available. Do not cancel an appointment unless you are comfortable with the risk that another time may not be available.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
19. What happens if I miss my Rawdah appointment without canceling?
Nusuk says that if you miss the visit and did not cancel beforehand, the booking is canceled and another visit will only be available through Instant Access.
If you know you cannot attend, cancel the appointment before the visit time.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
20. My confirmed Rawdah booking disappeared or was canceled. What should I do?
Travelers have reported confirmed appointments later disappearing or being canceled.
- Reopen Nusuk and check your active bookings.
- Confirm whether the booking is still listed.
- Take screenshots of any cancellation notice or error.
- Check whether an attendance-confirmation step was missed.
- If the booking is gone and you do not understand why, contact official Nusuk or Ministry support.
We did not find a single official explanation covering every unexpected cancellation.
Source: Reported issue. Nusuk Google Play listing and reviews
21. Nusuk shows the wrong date or a previous date during booking. Should I choose a different date on purpose?
No. Do not deliberately enter the wrong date just because another traveler reported a date-display problem.
If the app displays a different date from the one you selected, stop before confirming, take a screenshot, restart or update the app, and check again. Contact official support if the problem continues.
Source: Reported issue. Traveler report
5. Family, companions, children, and elderly travelers
22. Can I book Rawdah for my spouse, parents, or other companions?
Yes. Nusuk allows a visitor to create a group and add other visitors to a regular Rawdah booking. The added visitors must approve being added through their Nusuk accounts.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
23. How many visitors can I add to a Rawdah group booking?
Nusuk currently allows up to four added visitors in a group.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
24. Do companions need to approve the group in their own Nusuk accounts?
Yes. Nusuk says the visitors being added must approve the group through their own Nusuk accounts.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
25. Who confirms attendance for a group booking?
The person managing the group booking confirms attendance for everyone in the group.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
26. Can I remove one companion without canceling everyone's booking?
Yes. Nusuk says the group manager can cancel one specific visitor without canceling the rest of the group.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
27. Can I add a companion through Instant Access?
No. Nusuk says adding companions is available through regular booking, not Instant Access.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
28. What if my elderly parent does not use a smartphone?
Nusuk's public group-booking instructions say added visitors approve the group through their own Nusuk accounts.
We did not find clear official public instructions explaining the approved process when a traveler cannot independently operate a smartphone.
If this applies to your family, do not create fake information or use someone else's identity details. Contact official Nusuk or Ministry support before the visit and ask how the account should be handled.
Source: Official rule plus unresolved practical gap. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
29. Are children allowed inside Rawdah?
Nusuk currently says children are not permitted inside Rawdah because of crowding and safety concerns.
Nusuk also mentions a child hospitality center in the northern courtyard area. Because this is a rule that can change, check the current Nusuk page shortly before your visit.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
30. Do men and women have different Rawdah visiting times?
Yes. Nusuk says Rawdah visits are available for both men and women, with different appointment times allocated for men and women.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
6. Masjid an Nabawi and Rawdah access
31. Do I need a Nusuk permit just to enter Masjid an Nabawi?
No. Nusuk says general entry to Masjid an Nabawi does not require a permit. A Rawdah visit is different and requires a Rawdah booking or eligible Instant Access appointment.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
32. How long is a Rawdah visit?
Nusuk currently says the Rawdah visit time is about 20 minutes. Visitors are asked to leave when their allotted time ends so the next group can enter.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk Rawdah guide
7. Account, visa, passport, and login problems
33. Why does Nusuk say “Account already exists” when I cannot log in?
Travelers report cases where Nusuk says an account already exists but normal login or recovery does not work.
Try the normal password-recovery flow first. If that fails, avoid repeatedly creating new accounts with different identity details. Contact official support and provide the exact message you are seeing.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
34. Why does account recovery say no account is found even though Nusuk says my ID already exists?
This conflict has been reported by travelers. We did not find a reliable universal self-service fix.
Do not create multiple accounts using altered personal data. Take screenshots of both messages and contact official support so the account can be checked against your correct identity information.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
35. Why am I not receiving the password-reset or verification email?
Travelers report delayed or missing recovery emails.
- Check the email address shown in your account.
- Check spam and junk folders.
- Make sure you entered the same email used during registration.
- Allow a short delay before requesting again.
If repeated requests still produce nothing, contact official support rather than repeatedly changing account details.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
36. What should I do if my passport, nationality, visa, name, or date of birth appears wrong or does not match?
Do not change correct identity information simply to make the app accept it.
Compare your Nusuk details with the passport and Saudi visa or entry information you are actually traveling under. If the records are inconsistent, capture the exact mismatch and contact official support.
Source: Traveler-reported problem; conservative guidance. Traveler report
37. What should I do if Nusuk appears to be using an old visa or old account data?
Travelers have reported old Saudi visa or account information remaining connected to their Nusuk account.
If this happens, do not create a fake replacement identity or overwrite correct current information with guesses. Contact official support and ask them to check the account against your current travel document.
Source: Reported issue. Traveler report
38. Why can the Nusuk website and mobile app behave differently for the same account?
Travelers report cases where the website and mobile app show different behavior, account details, or login results. We did not find an official technical explanation for every case.
Use the current official app for Rawdah services, make sure the app is updated, and verify your active bookings before changing account details. If the mismatch continues, contact official support.
Source: Traveler reported. Traveler report
8. Technical errors, support, and safety
39. What should I do when Nusuk says “Something went wrong” while booking?
This error is repeatedly reported by travelers.
- Check whether the booking actually appears under your active bookings.
- Take a screenshot of the error and any error code.
- Close and reopen the current official Nusuk app.
- Check that the app is updated.
- Retry only if no booking was created.
- If the error continues, contact official support.
Do not rely on unofficial explanations for internal error codes unless Nusuk publishes them.
Source: Traveler reported. Nusuk Google Play listing and reviews
40. How do I contact official Nusuk or Ministry support?
Current official sources list:
- Inside Saudi Arabia: 1966
- Outside Saudi Arabia: +966 9200 02814
- General Ministry / Nusuk support: care@haj.gov.sa
- Nusuk app support listed on Google Play: hajcc@haj.gov.sa
For a U.S. phone, use the international format with +966. Support details can change, so check the official Nusuk contact page before contacting support.
When contacting support, include the exact error message, screenshots, and only the identity details they officially request.
Sources: Official Nusuk Contact Us and official Google Play listing
41. Should I pay someone online or near the mosque to obtain a Rawdah permit?
Use the official Nusuk booking channels.
Recent app reviews and traveler reports describe people offering Rawdah appointments for money, but we did not find reliable evidence explaining how those sellers obtain appointments.
Do not share your passport, visa, Nusuk login, verification codes, or account access with an unofficial seller.
Source: Traveler-reported risk. Nusuk Google Play listing and reviews
42. Will Nusuk essential services work if I have no remaining mobile data in Saudi Arabia?
Nusuk announced that selected essential services can be used without consuming mobile data on STC, Mobily, and Zain networks in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement included services such as Rawdah permits, maps, train booking, the Nusuk assistant, and inquiries.
This does not mean every Nusuk feature or every network connection will work without data, so keep normal internet access available when possible.
Source: Official Nusuk. Official Nusuk announcement
