Saudi Arabia's Hajj and Umrah minister, Tawfig Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, announced that the country has updated visa regulations and increased the number of designated flights to India. The aim is to facilitate a greater number of Indians in undertaking the "Umrah" pilgrimage to Makkah, which is conducted outside the month of Ramzan.

In 2024, around 1.37 million Indian Muslims are expected to perform Umrah. More than 1.2 million pilgrims have already performed Umrah in 2023 so far.
In an interview, Al-Rabiah said that Indians are now exempt from the need for a dedicated Umrah visa, allowing them to undertake the pilgrimage using either work or tourism visas. During his visit to India, Tawfig Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah also applauded the contribution of Indian expatriates to the economic and cultural enrichment of Saudi Arabia.

There has been a rise in direct flights to Jeddah and Madinah from various Indian airports. The Saudi minister for Hajj and Umrah also informed HT's Rezaul H Laskar that the Saudi government has mediated several agreements to increase the number of dedicated flights from India.

In addition to boosting the number of flights between the two countries, Saudi Airlines has strategically increased the number of seats available. These initiatives are intended to meet the growing demand for Umrah pilgrimages.

The revision to Umrah visa regulations for Indian Muslims has eliminated restrictions based on their previous visa status. They can also benefit from an easy-to-use e-visa system. According to the Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister, additional significant modifications include extending the Umrah visa to 90 days. Indians who wish to undertake the Umrah can also apply for a stopover visa.

Image source: Hindustan Times