Pakistani travel technology startup Bookme has signed a strategic partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to enable instant Umrah visa processing for Pakistani pilgrims. The deal was announced on Tuesday and allows Bookme to issue Umrah visas directly through its platform via a fully digital, real-time system integrated with Saudi government infrastructure.
The initiative was implemented through a collaboration between Bookme, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and Elm Company, a key Saudi national digital infrastructure provider. The system requires no human intervention, no manual processing and no physical documentation or in-person visits. Bookme described it as a “one-click experience backed directly by Saudi authorities.” The service is accessible through Bookme’s website, mobile applications and integrated partner platforms, including banking and fintech apps.
The partnership was formalized at the 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’s forum was held in Madinah from March 30 to April 1. The solution went live during the final ten days of Ramadan 2026, with Umrah visas issued through the platform during that period.
Pakistan is one of the largest source markets for Umrah pilgrims globally. The introduction of direct digital visa issuance is expected to reduce reliance on intermediaries, lower costs for consumers and increase transparency in the process. Pilgrims will have greater flexibility to choose from a range of hotels, tours and Ziyarah experiences at market-driven pricing, moving toward what Bookme described as a more open and user-centric approach to Umrah planning. The initiative also supports Saudi Arabia’s broader objective of digitizing pilgrimage services under its Vision 2030 framework.
Bookme founder and CEO Faizan Aslam said the partnership will “fundamentally change how Pakistani pilgrims access Umrah by making the process instant, direct, and completely frictionless.” He added that the system is powered by full automation directly integrated with Saudi authorities, and that several additional initiatives are already in the pipeline as part of the long-term collaboration.
Bookme is headquartered in Pakistan and operates across multiple regions, providing digital booking services across travel, tourism and mobility sectors. The company offers access to a wide range of services through its platform and partner integrations.
