Short answer: A white label eSIM for Hajj and Umrah operators lets you include Saudi Arabia mobile data in every package, sold under your own brand at your own price, with each pilgrim's eSIM installed before they leave home. Through the eSIM Signal partner programme you order eSIMs from a prepaid balance at your partner price, get the QR code and install link instantly, and hand pilgrims a neutral, branded setup with no setup fee, monthly fee or contract.
Why mobile data matters so much on a pilgrimage
A Hajj or Umrah group is not a holiday crowd. It is often dozens or hundreds of people, many travelling abroad for the first time, moving together between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah on a tight schedule. When someone is separated from the group near the Haram, the only fast way back is usually a WhatsApp voice note, a shared live location or a call from the group leader.
Pilgrims also rely on their phones for practical tasks during the journey:
- Nusuk, the official Saudi platform used for Umrah permits and many visit bookings in Madinah
- WhatsApp groups run by the operator for meeting times, bus departures and hotel changes
- Maps and ride-hailing apps such as Careem and Uber in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah
- Prayer time and Qibla apps, translation apps and messaging family at home
Home roaming is often expensive, and airport SIM queues after a long flight are hard on elderly travellers. Including an eSIM in the package removes that problem before the group even leaves.
How a white label eSIM for Hajj and Umrah operators works
The model is simple: you buy the data at a partner price, deliver it under your brand and decide what the pilgrim pays.
- Apply for a partner account. Submit your details at Apply for a partner account. The team reviews every account, and most partners go from first contact to first sale within a few days.
- Top up your prepaid balance by card. There is no monthly minimum, so you can top up before each departure group.
- Choose the plans that match your packages. Saudi Arabia has country plans with a range of lengths, and unlimited options are on sale at the time of writing. Check the live Saudi Arabia plans and the partner price list in your panel.
- Order one eSIM per pilgrim. Each order returns the ICCID, activation code, QR code and a one-tap install link instantly, from the Business Panel or the API.
- Install at your pre-departure session. Your staff or group leaders help each pilgrim install the eSIM at home or at your office, on Wi-Fi, with the line left switched off until arrival.
- Pilgrims switch the line on when they land. On arrival in Jeddah or Madinah they turn on the eSIM line and data roaming for that line, and they are online before passport control is over.
Each pilgrim keeps their home SIM in the phone for calls and texts if they want them, and uses the eSIM for data. The plans are data-only, so be clear about that in your package description.
Matching plan length to Umrah and Hajj packages
Package length is where operators get this right or wrong. A plan that runs out on day nine of a twelve-day Umrah is a support headache in Madinah.
Umrah packages
Most Umrah packages fall somewhere between one and three weeks, often split between Makkah and Madinah. Pick a plan that covers the full trip plus a day or two of margin for delayed flights. Pilgrims mostly use messaging, maps and the Nusuk app, so moderate data is enough for many travellers, while those who video call family daily need more. Offering two tiers, a standard plan and an unlimited upgrade, works well.
Hajj packages
Hajj packages are usually longer and include the days in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Mobile networks around the holy sites are under heavy load during Hajj, so set expectations: data may be slow at peak times, even when coverage is good. For longer stays, choose a longer plan or plan on a top-up rather than assuming one short plan will last.
Multi-country itineraries
Some groups combine Umrah with a stop in Jordan, Egypt, the UAE or Turkey. A regional plan such as the Middle East plans can cover more than one country on a single eSIM. Check the country list on each plan before you sell it, because regional plans do not all cover the same destinations.
Selling the eSIM under your own brand
Pilgrims trust their operator, so keep the experience inside your brand:
- Neutral install page. Every partner eSIM comes with an install page that carries no eSIM Signal branding, so the pilgrim only sees your name on your materials.
- Branded QR codes. You can set your colour and logo on the QR code, with a live preview in the panel. Print it on the pilgrim's welcome card or travel pack.
- Your own retail price. You see only your partner price and set your own price, whether you sell the eSIM as an add-on or fold it into the package price.
If you are new to selling under your brand, our guide to selling travel data under your own brand walks through the basics, and eSIM wholesale pricing and margins explains how partner pricing works.
Running pre-departure installs for a whole group
The biggest operational win is installing before travel. A good pre-departure session prevents almost every arrival problem.
- Check devices first. Ask pilgrims to bring the phone they will travel with. Confirm it supports eSIM and is not locked to a home network using the compatible devices list. Older or locked phones are the most common blocker, and it is far better to find out at your office than at the airport.
- Install on Wi-Fi with the line off. Scan the QR or tap the install link, give the line a clear label such as the group name, and leave it off. The step-by-step guide at how to install an eSIM covers iPhone and Android.
- Write the arrival steps on paper. Older pilgrims may not remember a spoken briefing after a long flight. A printed card with three steps, turn on the eSIM line, turn on data roaming for that line only, set it as the data line, prevents confusion.
- Keep a list of ICCIDs per group. Use
customer_refon API orders, or your own notes, to match each eSIM to a pilgrim's name or booking reference.
Tip: assign one tech-confident group leader per bus. Give them a short checklist so they can fix most "no internet" problems on the spot instead of calling your office.
Top-ups, refunds and support during the trip
Plans can run out early when a pilgrim streams recitations or video calls family every evening. Top-ups let you add data to the same eSIM without reinstalling. In the panel this takes a few clicks; through the API you can list options with GET /esims/{iccid}/topups and add data with POST /esims/{iccid}/topup.
If a pilgrim cancels before travelling and the eSIM was never installed, you can refund it to your balance within the refund window. Installed or used eSIMs cannot be refunded, so install at the pre-departure session only for confirmed travellers.
Most problems on the ground are phone settings: the eSIM line or its data roaming is off, or data is still on the home SIM. Our customer support playbook for eSIM resellers covers the standard answers. For anything else, your named account manager is reachable by email or WhatsApp and usually replies within one business day, and you can open support tickets with screenshots from the panel.
Connecting eSIMs to your booking system
Operators selling hundreds of packages a season usually automate ordering. The REST API at https://esimsignal.com/api/v1 lets your booking system order an eSIM when a package is confirmed:
- Readable package IDs and destination ids such as
SA, so your system can map each package to a plan - Idempotency-Key headers, so a retried request never creates two eSIMs for one pilgrim
- Signed webhooks such as
order.completedandesim.activated, so you know when a pilgrim's line is in use - Scoped API keys with an IP allow-list, and read-only test keys for building safely
The eSIM reseller API integration guide has a full walkthrough. Smaller operators can do everything by hand in the Business Panel, including instant ordering from the searchable price list before each departure, an itemised ledger with receipts, and CSV or Excel exports for your accounts.
Planning for the busy seasons
Umrah runs all year, but demand peaks around Ramadan, which falls in February and March in 2027, and around school holidays in your market. Hajj comes later in the year with its own fixed season.
- Top up your balance before peak weeks or turn on automatic top-up, so orders never stop because of a low balance.
- Train staff on installs in advance, not on departure day.
- Add team members with admin or user roles, so branch staff can order eSIMs without sharing one login, with email two-factor sign-in on every account.
There is no contract and no monthly minimum, so a seasonal operator pays nothing in the quiet months. Get wholesale rates to see the partner prices for Saudi Arabia and the wider region.
Frequently asked questions
Can I include an eSIM in my Umrah package price?
Yes. You buy each eSIM at your partner price and set your own retail price, so you can sell it as an optional add-on or include it in the package price.
Do pilgrims need a special phone for an eSIM?
The phone must support eSIM and must not be locked to a home network. Most recent iPhones, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models support eSIM, but check each pilgrim's device against the compatible devices list before travel.
Will pilgrims keep their home phone number?
Yes, if their phone supports dual SIM. They keep the home SIM for calls and texts and use the eSIM for data, which also means WhatsApp keeps working on their usual number.
What happens if a pilgrim cancels before departure?
If the eSIM was never installed, you can refund it to your partner balance within the refund window. Once an eSIM has been installed, it can no longer be refunded.
Is there a contract or minimum order for Hajj and Umrah operators?
No. There is no setup fee, monthly fee, monthly minimum or fixed-term contract, so you only pay for the eSIMs you order from your prepaid balance.