The Saudi Arabian government has updated the expiration date for Umrah visas as it gears up for the upcoming annual Hajj season.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that the new cutoff for Umrah visa validity will be the 15th of Dhul Qadah, revising the earlier deadline from the 29th of Dhul Qadah. This change aims to facilitate a smoother transition of pilgrims travelling to the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah from the globe.
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In efforts to address concerns raised on social media, the ministry has also specified that the three-month Umrah visa will now start from the date of issuance rather than from the date of entry into Saudi Arabia as previously practised.
Furthermore, the ministry confirmed that while the visa duration is three months from issuance, it must expire by Dhul Qadah 15. This decision, reached in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adjusts the final validity date two weeks earlier than initially scheduled.
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Additionally, the inaugural Hajj flight from Pakistan is set to depart on May 9th, continuing until June. Following the restoration of Pakistan’s full pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and the removal of the age cap of 65 years in 2023, the Pakistani authorities conducted a Hajj draw for 2024 in December 2023, selecting over 63,000 pilgrims under the government scheme.
This year, each pilgrim will receive a complimentary mobile SIM card from a Saudi telecommunications provider, which includes 180 minutes of international calling time.
The second phase of Hajj training is also on the horizon, starting April 15th, led by chief master trainer Ahmed Nadeem Khan. This phase will deploy 40 trainers who will instruct on new procedures and Hajj-related topics at 122 venues throughout Pakistan.
