Saudi govt announces new decision on Umrah visas

Saudi Arabia has announced a new decision regarding the validity of Umrah visas. From now on, the visa’s validity period has been reduced from three months to one month. This means that travellers must enter Saudi Arabia within one month from the date of visa issuance. The new rule will take effect on November 1, according to the country’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

However, the duration of stay after entering Saudi Arabia will remain unchanged at three months. In other words, if a pilgrim enters the country within the stipulated one-month period, they will be allowed to stay for up to three months.

Under the new regulation, any visa not used to enter Saudi Arabia within 30 days of issuance will be automatically cancelled.

Ahmed Bajayfa, an adviser at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, stated that the decision has been made in preparation for a surge in Umrah pilgrims as cooler weather returns following the summer season.

Since the start of the Umrah season in June this year, more than four million foreign pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia—surpassing the total number recorded during the entire season last year.

Analysts say the unprecedented growth in Umrah pilgrimages reflects the rising enthusiasm among Muslims worldwide to visit the holy sites.