Saudi Arabia allows travelers on tourist visa to perform Umrah

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has allowed travelers having a tourist visa to visit the Kingdom to perform Umrah during their stay in the country, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced.

According to local media, citizens of 49 countries who can apply for a tourist visa online will benefit from the service. The ministry said that those eligible for e-visas can also obtain a tourist visa upon their arrival at airports in the Kingdom.

The ministry also said that holders of US, UK and Schengen visas also qualify to perform Umrah while visiting Saudi Arabia, adding that people who hold family visit visas can also apply to perform Umrah while in the Kingdom by applying through the Eatmarna app.

Recently, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry for Hajj and Umrah has announced that Umrah pilgrims traveling to Kingdom this year will not require mandatory COVID vaccination.

According to the Saudi authorities, even unvaccinated people will be allowed to offer prayers at Khana-e-Kaaba and Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW).

The only condition to attend the prayers at the holy mosques according to the ministry of Hajj and Umrah is that the unvaccinated person should not be suffering from COVID nor should have come in contact with a person suffering from the infection.

According to a previous travel advisory for Umrah pilgrims, the Saudi authorities lifted the restriction of a PCR test and approved a list of eight vaccines for those travelling for Umrah.

The vaccines approved by the Kingdom included Pfizer, Sinopharm, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Cansino and Sputnik.

The travellers were needed to get one dose of Johnson and Johnson, two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna and two doses and a booster shot of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Sputnik to travel to the Kingdom.