RIYADH (Kashmir English): The government of Saudi Arabia has announced new Umrah policies for the pilgrims. As per the new announcement by the Kingdom, the policies will be applicable from the 1st of Rabi-ul-Awwal.
Under the new Umrah policies, the pilgrims who want to perform Umrah will have to submit the documents including: hotel accommodation documents, food vouchers, transportation, and other necessary documents.
Saudi Arabia has introduced a new requirement for Umrah visa applicants as part of its wider efforts to improve services for pilgrims.
Under the new policy, every Umrah visa application must include a food voucher worth 20 Saudi riyals (SAR) per night, in addition to confirmed accommodation and transport arrangements.
The services will be managed through the Kingdom’s Nusuk digital platform, which integrates various pilgrimage-related services into a single system.
The policy will initially apply to pilgrims from Pakistan, India, Egypt and Bangladesh, with these countries beginning implementation of the new digital requirements.
To support the initiative, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has connected around 10,000 restaurants in Makkah and Madinah to the Nusuk platform, enabling pilgrims to access meal services through the digital system.
Warning for Umrah pilgrims
The Ministry has also warned Umrah pilgrims to make their bookings only through certified Umrah operators available on the ministry’s website.
“In case of bookings through unregistered or uncertified companies, the responsibility for any resulting problems will lie with the concerned individuals, while the ministry will only redress complaints received against companies that are formally certified by the ministry.”
The ministry has directed pilgrims to always make Umrah package payments through banking channels and keep payment receipts, contracts and other relevant documents safe to ensure effective protection of their rights in case of any dispute or complaint.
According to officials, the purpose of the new Umrah rules is to promote transparency, accountability and effective monitoring in the Umrah sector, discourage illegal and unregistered operators and ensure complete protection of the rights of Umrah pilgrims.
New Umrah Policy
After the approval of the Umrah Policy, only companies certified by the Ministry of Religious Affairs will be eligible to provide Umrah services, which will help in making Umrah arrangements more organized and restoring public confidence.
