The deadline for submitting applications for the Umrah visa is Ramadan 15 (November 30), said a senior official at the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs and Awqaf.

Saif Mohammed Al Atr, Director of Haj and Umrah Affairs at the Ministry, said that applications for Umrah visas will be accepted until Ramadan 15.

"No dates have been fixed yet for the Haj visa; it is still too early," he told Gulf News.

Last week, the Ministry held a training seminar, "The Art of Pilgrims' Safety", for Haj and Umrah contractors.

The seminar aimed at raising points of pilgrims' safety with around 100 attendant contractors, said a report in the Arabic language daily, Al Ittihad.

The report said that a number of points of concern during the journey to the Holy Makkah were raised. Segregation of men and women was among them.

A number of contractors did not observe this rule in last year's pilgrimage. A Dh1,000 fine will be imposed in the future for such an offence. In addition, alternative accomodation should be found by the contractors for these pilgrims.

The report also said that staff should be available in the contractors' offices to take care of the pilgrims' affairs.

"Sometimes the employees go with the pilgrims for the pilgrimage, and the offices are left unattended," he pointed out.

There will be a Dh3,000 fine in such cases, the Al Ittihad report said.

Other points highlighted were accommodation, transport and health conditions for Haj and Umrah.
Al Atr noted: "There should be nurses, doctors and the pilgrims should be informed about the emergency exits. Our utmost concern is the pilgrims' safety."

In the same report, Farouk Al Sharkasi, Manager at Farouk Campaigns for Haj and Umrah, said representatives are needed from the local and Saudi airports to complete pilgrims' paperwork.