RIYADH (Kashmir English): The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced a new Umrah policy, making it mandatory to travel within one month of receiving an Umrah visa.
According to the ministry, if you do not enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of issuing the visa, the visa will be automatically canceled.
Under the new law, the period before entering Saudi Arabia after receiving a visa has been reduced from 3 months to one month; however, after entering Saudi Arabia, pilgrims will have the same 3 months to stay as before.
According to an advisor to the Saudi National Committee for Umrah, the new regulations will come into effect from next week.
He said that this step has been taken by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in view of the increasing number of Umrah pilgrims.
According to Arab News, since June this year, more than 4 million Umrah visas have been issued for international pilgrims, which is a record increase compared to previous years.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia had allowed holders of various types of visas to perform Umrah during their stay in the kingdom under the Saudi Vision 2030.
“All holders of visas of various types can perform Umrah during their stay in the kingdom,” the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed in a statement.
The Ministry said that the visas cover multiple categories, including personal and family visit visas, electronic tourist visas, transit or stopover visas, work permits, and other types can visit Makkah to perform Umrah.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah further said that the initiative reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to facilitating the arrival of Muslims from across the world, enabling them to perform their religious duties with comfort and peace of mind.
