Visa ban in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has imposed new travel restrictions and suspended the issuance of certain visas to people of 14 countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
The ban comes in the middle of the effort to control overfill due to the HAJJ pilgrimage.
According to several media reports, the ban will be valid until mid -June, when the pilgrimage will be Hajj at the end.
Which Saudi Arabia visa was suspended?
According to the new instructions, the Umrah visa, visas to visit business visits and family visas were suspended, the reports said.
The ban on visas in Saudi Arabia comes as disappointment for pilgrims from countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where thousands of people take the holy pilgrimage.
Why did Saudi Arabia ban visas?
Authorities in Saudi Arabia stated that this step was taken to prevent people from attempting to carry out hajj without proper registration.
Officials argued that citizens from other nations attended Saudi Arabia with visas umrah or visited visas and illegally crossed to perform hajj in Saint Mecca.
Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the authorities to ensure stricter enforcement of the visa regulation so that the Earth could perform a smooth and safe pilgrim Hajj.
When will the prohibition of visa start in Saudi Arabia?
According to reports, individuals from foreign countries will be issued visas for a visit or umrah visas by April 13 as part of a new initiative. No new visa will be issued to any of the 14 countries in the list
A complete list of countries that face a ban on visa in Saudi Arabia
The reports have identified 13 countries that will face a ban on visa in Saudi Arabia. One other country has not been clearly identified. 13 of the identified countries are:
In particular, the decision comes after the tragedy during the pilgrimage in 2024, where more than 1,000 people were killed in action. Many of these pilgrims were unauthorized. Overcrowding and extreme heat acted as a catalyst behind the tragedy. Saudi Arabia now believes that the prohibition of visa to reduce illegal visitors will make it easier for a smooth pilgrimage to Hajj, without such tragedies.
(Tagstotranslate) Saudi Arabia
