RIYADH – The government of Saudi Arabia has allowed citizens from certain countries to avail visas on arrival for performing Umrah.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that citizens from the US, the UK, European Union countries, Singapore, Japan, Brunie, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia can get visa on arrival as part of the new initiative.
The ministry has highlighted that those who wish to obtain the service should not be less than 18 years of age unless accompanied by a guardian.
Moreover, a passport valid for 6 months is also necessary for performing Umrah and obtaining the visa. The Ministry has also clarified that obtaining approved medical insurance is necessary inside the kingdom.
Besides, the ministry has confirmed that visa fees will be levied.
It bears mentioning that the kingdom had announced visa on arrival for citizens from Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, for leisure, business, and religious (Umrah only) travel.
Nationals of these countries can apply for a visitor visa electronically or upon arrival at one of the country’s ports, as per an earlier announcement by the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is revamping its visa system and recently replaced the visa sticker with QR codes for countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Indonesia, and Egypt.
In July, the country announced new instant e-visa options for travelers with UK, US, and Schengen visas, as well as permanent residents of those countries to ease travel restrictions.
The latest visa measures also contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan in which the country aims to hit the target of attracting 100 million visits annually by 2030.
The Saudi Press Agency reports that the country has become one of the fastest-growing tourism markets globally, recording 93.5 million visits in 2022. For this year, the kingdom also managed to receive over 2 million Hajj pilgrims which was the first time after the Covid-19 that the country welcomed pilgrims in such large numbers.
