Saudi Arabia changes policy for foreign Umrah pilgrims

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Tuesday  announced that all foreign Umrah pilgrims coming to the Kingdom must submit a negative PCR test report taken within 48 hours before arrival, Radio Pakistan reported.

According to a statement issued in this regard, this rule applies to all, "regardless of their vaccination status".

The new regulation will be effective from next Wednesday.

Pilgrims have to show they are vaccinated using the Tawakkalna app to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Madinah.

Earlier, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had also announced that foreign Umrah pilgrims can now once more extend their duration of stay to 30 days from the previously allowed 10 days, the Saudi Gazette had reported.

"Before the travel ban following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, foreign pilgrims were allowed to stay up to 30 days in Saudi Arabia. When the temporary ban on Umrah pilgrims was lifted and the service resumed on November 1, 2021, foreign pilgrims were allowed a 10-day stay in the kingdom," the report noted.

Additionally, as long as the foreign pilgrims are from countries which do not fall under a travel ban, and as long as they have been inoculated with the approved vaccines, they can now directly arrive in Makkah and perform Umrah without the need for institutional quarantine.

Under the new relaxations, all foreign pilgrims aged 18 and above will be given a permit to enter the kingdom and perform Umrah, subject to the terms set by the ministry.

Among domestic pilgrims, those aged 12 and above are allowed to perform Umrah.