Saudi Arabia Temporarily Bans Certain Visas for Citizens of 14 Countries Including India and Pakistan
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Saudi Arabian government has taken an important decision and has temporarily banned the issuance of certain types of visas for citizens of 14 countries including India and Pakistan. This ban imposed by the Saudi Foreign Ministry includes Umrah, business and family visas. This ban is currently expected to remain in force till mid-June. The 14 countries on which this visa ban has been imposed include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Yemen. However, the relief is that those who already have Umrah visa can enter Saudi Arabia till April 13, 2025.
The main reason behind this temporary ban is said to be to prevent attempts to participate illegally during Hajj and violation of visa rules. According to Saudi officials, earlier many people used to come for Umrah or other purposes on multiple entry visas or other visas, but used to stay illegally during the Hajj season and join Hajj without permission, creating crowd management and security challenges. In addition, some people used to come on business or family visas and start working illegally, which is a violation of Saudi labor laws and disrupts the local labor system.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry has clarified that this step has been taken to ensure the safety of pilgrims coming for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage and to ensure that the rules are followed. The government has appealed to the travelers from the affected countries to follow the rules, so that any fines or action can be avoided in the future. Officials have also warned that those who are found illegally in Saudi Arabia despite the visa ban will be banned from entering the country for the next five years. For the convenience of pilgrims, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also recently released a digital guide in 16 languages. It includes major languages like Urdu, English, Arabic, Turkish, French, Persian and Indonesian. This guide can be downloaded from the ministry's website in PDF and audio format, which aims to make Hajj pilgrims coming from different countries better aware of the rules and procedures.
