Saudi Arabia Introduces New Visa Measure to Facilitate Umrah for Muslims

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah recently announced that the personal visa has been updated, allowing Saudis to invite more than one visitor to perform their Umrah rituals [an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca].

Rabat – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah recently announced that the personal visa has been updated, allowing Saudis to invite more than one visitor to perform their Umrah rituals [an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca].

While unveiling the various new updates to the personal visa, there is also a visit visa that Saudis can apply for the benefit of non-family and non-business related visits.

According to converging reports, the personal visa now allows Muslims to fly to the Gulf country more than once, and Saudis can apply for the visa for more than just one individual simultaneously.

Holders of the personal visa will now be able to perform the Umrah rituals as well as visit other holy and historic sites in the country including the Grand Mosque in Makkah and travel between the country’s regions.

The ministry further explained that the personal visa issued for a single visit would be valid for 90 days, while a personal visa issued for multiple visits is valid for 365 days with the duration of the stay fixed at 90 days in both cases.

In addition to updating the visa, the ministry equally announced that the process of filing for the visa has been altered as Saudis can submit their visa requests directly through an online platform.

An individual who is invited to visit would have to complete the process of paying fees and medical insurance after submitting their visa application on the platform. They should then deposit physical copies of the application and passport to the embassy or consulate in their home country.