Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced a temporary visa ban on 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, ahead of the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage. The suspension applies to Umrah, business, and family visit visas and will remain in effect until mid-June 2025, coinciding with the conclusion of Hajj.
The decision aims to prevent unauthorized pilgrims from entering Saudi Arabia under alternative visa categories and attempting to perform Hajj without official registration. This move comes in response to overcrowding and safety concerns during last year’s Hajj, which tragically resulted in over 1,000 fatalities due to extreme heat and unregistered participants.
Saudi authorities have set April 13, 2025, as the last date for issuing Umrah visas. After this deadline, no new Umrah visas will be granted until the Hajj season concludes. The affected countries include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
To streamline the pilgrimage process, Saudi Arabia has introduced a digital Hajj and Umrah guide available in 16 languages, providing essential information to registered pilgrims. Officials have also warned that individuals attempting unauthorized Hajj participation or overstaying their visas may face a five-year entry ban.
This temporary visa ban underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to ensuring a safer and better-organized pilgrimage experience for millions of participants from around the world.
