Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended issuance of visas to citizens from 14 countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as per media reports.
The ban comes in effect from April 13 and will remain in effect until mid-June.
The issuance of three types of visas - Umrah visa, Business visa and Family Visit visa - have been halted by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities have implemented the measure to curb unauthorized participation in the Hajj.
Media reports claimed that many foreign nationals entered the country on Umrah visa or family visit visa and overstayed illegally to participate in Hajj without official authorization.
Under the new travel restrictions, the foreign nationals are allowed to apply for Umrah visas till April 13. After the deadline, no new Umrah visa will be issued till Hajj ends.
The 14 countries impacted by the newly-imposed travel restriction are - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen and Morocco.
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Its rituals largely commemorate the accounts of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismail, Ismail’s mother Hajar and the Prophet Muhammad, according to the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
Once the Hajj is over, men are expected to shave their heads, and women to snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal.
All Muslims are required to make the Hajj once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. Many wealthy Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once.
More than 1.83 million Muslims performed the Hajj in 2024, including more than 1.6 million pilgrims from 22 countries, and around 222,000 Saudi citizens and residents, according to the Saudi Hajj authorities.
Source: Times Now
--Agecnies
