Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced a major change to the Umrah visa policy, requiring pilgrims to travel to the Kingdom within 30 days of visa issuance. Failure to do so will result in automatic visa cancellation.
According to the ministry, the pre-entry validity period has been reduced from three months to one month, although once inside the Kingdom, pilgrims will still be allowed to stay for up to three months as before.
Advisor to the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, Ahmed Bajafar, said the new rules will take effect next week. He noted that the decision was made in response to the rising number of Umrah pilgrims and the need to improve management and coordination.
According to Arab News, more than four million international Umrah visas have been issued since June this year—marking a record increase compared to previous years.
Under the new policy, pilgrims are advised to plan their journeys carefully to ensure entry into Saudi Arabia within the stipulated timeframe.
