Saudi Arabia announces date for expiry of Umrah visa

RIYADH – The government of Saudi Arabia has announced the last day for performing Umrah as the Hajj season nears for which the preparations have been made.

According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Dhul Qadah 15 will be the last day for the expiry of the Umrah visa for pilgrims coming from outside the country.

The Umrah visa expiry date has been changed from Dhul Qadah 29 to Dhul Qadah 15 to streamline the smooth flow of pilgrims to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah from all over the world for Hajj.

The ministry also noted that the validity of the three-month Umrah visa will be deemed to begin from the date of its issuance, instead of the previously approved validity from the date of entry into Saudi Arabia.

It has also been clarified that the validity of the Umrah visa is three months from the date of its issuance, provided that it expires no later than Dhul Qadah 15, and that is in accordance with the coordination made between the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This date of Dhul Qadah 15 was approved, two weeks (14 days) earlier than the previously announced expiry date of Dhul Qadah 29,” the ministry added.

It bears mentioning that the holy kingdom would welcome over 2 million pilgrims for this year’s Hajj and the preparations have been made already.

Pakistan has secured approximately 179,000 seats for the upcoming Hajj, and private Hajj operators will fill almost half of these. The balloting for those who applied under the government Hajj scheme has been done already.

As far as the details of the upcoming Hajj are concerned, the government has introduced a short Hajj package, ensuring completion within 25 days. Priced at Rs 80, 000 more than the Long Hajj package, the cost for Short Hajj stands at Rs 1,140, 000 for individuals from the southern region(Burewala, Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Jhang, and Dera Ghazi Khan) and Rs 1,150, 000 for those from the northern areas (Mansehra, Naran, Kaghan, Gilgit, Chilas, Passu and Karimabad).

For the Long Hajj package, pilgrims will have an extended journey lasting up to 42 days, with eight of those days spent in Medinah. Departing from southern parts like Karachi, Quetta, and Sukkur, the cost of this experience is Rs 1,065,000. For those departing from the northern parts (Mansehra, Naran, Kaghan, Gilgit, Chilas, Passu, and Karimabad) the cost is slightly higher at Rs 1,075, 000.

Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, obligatory for all Muslims who can afford it. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. Pilgrims perform a series of rituals, symbolizing unity, equality, and spiritual cleansing.