Saudi Arabia: Visit visa not valid for Hajj
1 million Muslims allowed to perform pilgrimage this year as COVID-19 curbs are eased
Cairo: Overseas Muslims holding a visit visa are not permitted to perform Hajj rituals, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Um-rah has said.
“Hajj is allowed with a designated visit or to those who have le-gal residency in the kingdom,” the ministry added, according to Saudi news portal Ajel.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia said it would allow 1 million pilgrims from inside and outside the kingdom to perform this year’s Hajj, after restricting the annual ritual to some thousands of Muslims living inside the country for the last two years due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Eligible pilgrims this year must be under 65, fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and present a negative PCR test, Saudi authorities have said.
Around 2.5 million Muslims from around the world used to at-tend Hajj in Saudi Arabia every year before the pandemic.