RIYADH – The government of Saudi Arabia has announced new set of rules for those wishing to enter the kingdom as the Hajj season is about to begin.
In an official statement posted on the account of Ministry of Interior, the authorities have unveiled four major rules (detailed below) for the foreigners and those wishing to perform religious rituals.
The government has announced that the last day to enter the kingdom for performing Umrah was April 13th and Umrah pilgrims would have to leave the kingdom by April 29th.
It has also been clarified that access to the holy city of Makkah will be strictly regulated from Wednesday, April 23, and individuals wishing to enter Makkah must present one of the following: a valid work permit, a residency ID issued from Makkah, or a valid Hajj permit.
The Ministry of Interior has also specified that starting from April 29th, 2025, individuals holding any type of visa-except those with a valid Hajj visa-will not be permitted to enter or remain in the City of Makkah.
As part of the fresh rules, it has also been announced that issuance of Umrah permit via the “Nusuk” platform would remain suspended from April 29th to June 10, 2025.
It bears mentioning that the government of Saudi Arabia enforces rules in preparation of the annual Hajj pilgrimage for which the kingdom welcomes over 2 million Muslims from across the world. For this year, the kingdom has put in place special arrangements including specially designed helipads in the Holy mosque for airlifting patients to nearby hospitals to save their lives.
