Saudi Arabia announces new visa policy for Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has introduced a new visit visa policy for 14 countries, including Pakistan.

Saudi authorities have suspended the one-year multiple-entry visas for tourism, business, and family visits, and now visitors from these countries can only get single-entry visas.

Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen.

This change is aimed at preventing people from performing Hajj illegally, as some individuals were using long-term visit visas to bypass the official pilgrimage quota. The new policy took effect from February 1, 2025.

New Visa Regulations for These Countries

To visit Saudi Arabia, visitors from 14 countries will need to apply for a single-entry visa, which is valid for 30 days with a maximum stay of 30 days per visit.

They also need to submit applications and biometrics at the Etimad visa centres across Pakistan.

Saudi authorities are tightening control on the Hajj, and they allocate a pilgrimage quota to each nation.

The Saudi Arabia multiple-entry visa allows visitors from across the world to explore the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage and modern infrastructure throughout the year.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced the opening of Hajj 2025 registration for domestic pilgrims, including citizens and residents, urging applicants to submit their requests through the Nusuk app or the official e-portal.

The ministry emphasized the importance of early registration, advising applicants to complete their health information, add accompanying pilgrims, and submit requests for exemption from the Mahram requirement if needed.

Once these steps are completed, applicants will be notified when Hajj package bookings become available.

The ministry also clarified that priority will be given to those who have not performed Hajj before.