Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that Dhul Qadah 15 will be the last day for the expiry of Umrah visa for pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom. The advancing of the Umrah visa expiry date from Dhul Qadah 29 to Dhul Qadah 15 is to streamline the smooth flow of pilgrims to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah from all over the world for the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, according to the ministry.

The ministry also noted that the validity of the three-month Umrah visa will be deemed to begin from the date of its issuance, instead of the previously approved validity from the date of entry into Saudi Arabia. The ministry clarified this in response to a number of inquiries made through its X platform.

The ministry clarified that the validity of the Umrah visa is three months from the date of its issuance, provided that it expires no later than Dhul Qadah 15, and that is in accordance with the coordination made between the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This date of Dhul Qadah 15 was approved, two weeks (14 days) earlier than the previously announced expiry date of Dhul Qadah 29,” the ministry added.