Authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have launched a new electronic visa app for all pilgrims planning to enter the country in order to perform the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca known as Umrah.
Such a decision has been confirmed by the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al Rabiah, during a press conference, VisaGuide.World reports.
According to the Minister, the visa would be given within 24 hours after completing the application. Besides, the new e-Visa app would also help pilgrims find accommodation and also arrange transportation.
He also said that the validity of such a visa had been extended from one to three months while stressing that pilgrims visiting the Kingdom in order to perform Umrah are also eligible to visit other cities of Saudi Arabia during their stay.
“The safety of pilgrims is our priority, and we are eager to offer the finest services,” Al Rabiah pointed out regarding the decision to permit one million pilgrims to do Hajj this year, as reported by Travelo Biz.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia offer pilgrimage visas for internationals interested in entering the country for such purposes; however, the recent changes of authorities in Saudi Arabia related to the electronic visa app have not been welcomed by all travelers.
The new online portal of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which requires visitors to reapply for visas online, has raised concerns among thousands of travelers as well as specialist travel agents from the United States, Australia as well as Europe, who have already made travel arrangements for the coming holy period.
Up to this point, pilgrims planning to perform Umrah have been eligible to arrange visas through accredited travel agencies. However, such travel companies have now expressed their concerns that they have been cut out by the new automated lottery, while they have not been informed whether they can book travel for their clients or not.
In April, the government of Saudi Arabia announced that a total of one million international and domestic pilgrims would be permitted to perform Hajj this year.
Previously, authorities in Saudi Arabia announced that they decided to abolish the requirement to present a valid proof of vaccination for all international travelers planning to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah as part of efforts to further ease the restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus and its new variants.
Such changes applied to internationals wishing to enter the Kingdom were confirmed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.