Visiting the Rawdah as a family is entirely possible, but the Nusuk app only admits the people named on the permit. That means your children must be added to your account as companions (dependents) before you book. Here is how to do it right the first time.
Step by step: adding a child as a companion
Menu names shift slightly between app versions, but the flow is consistent:
- Open your Nusuk profile. Sign in with the account that holds your own visa details.
- Find the Companions (or Family Members) section in your profile settings.
- Add a companion and enter the child’s details exactly as they appear on the passport, full name, date of birth, passport number, and visa information. “Exactly” matters: a spelling that differs from the passport is the most common reason a permit is refused at the door.
- Save, and repeat for each child. Every family member who will enter the Rawdah with you should exist as a companion, whatever their age.
- When you book the Rawdah permit, select yourself and tick each companion you want included. The confirmed permit will list every name. That single permit, on one phone, covers the group.
Do all of this before you travel, at home on good Wi-Fi with the passports in front of you, not in the hotel lobby an hour before a slot opens. Prepared profiles are also the secret to grabbing scarce slots quickly, as we explain in our guide to finding a Rawdah appointment when nothing shows available.
Practical notes for families
- Mothers and fathers visit separately. The Rawdah has separate hours for men and women, so decide in advance who takes which children into which session. Young children generally accompany the mother in the women’s session.
- Babies in arms are generally not an obstacle, but they should still be added as companions so the record is complete.
- Keep the group realistic. Permits for smaller groups are easier to find, and the Rawdah is intensely crowded; one adult managing four small children in there is not a plan. Split across two sessions if needed.
- Bring the phone that holds the permit, charged, with the app signed in. A screenshot of the permit QR is a sensible backup.
If the app will not accept a child’s details
Check the passport data character by character, make sure the visa is issued and linked, and try again after a short wait, the system syncs new visas with a delay. If it still fails, this is exactly the kind of knot our team unties for package guests: we prepare every family member’s Nusuk profile before departure so the booking is a two minute job.
Travelling with children? Our guides on family Umrah and childcare in the holy cities pair well with this one, or ask us directly and we will set it all up for you.
