New Delhi: “We are here to make it easier for Muslims in India to go to Mecca and Medina and have a great experience doing Umrah,” Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah said on Wednesday.
The Saudi Minister said: “We have significantly improved the visa process. Now, the Umrah visa is issued in less than 48 hours and usually, it’s issued mostly in very few hours. We are working on the air connectivity to make sure we have more flights, more options, and lower costs. We are working on the visa process not just the Umrah visa but other types of visas: Visit visas, family visas, tourism visas, different kinds of visas that allow Indians to go to Saudi Arabia.”
He said: “Even non-Muslims can visit other cities in Saudi Arabia taking advantage of different visas.”
“We are here to hear comments, and suggestions to enrich the experience and make it easier for Muslims in India to go to Mecca and Medina and have a great experience doing Umrah and visit Al Medina,” he said.
The minister is on an official visit to India as part of a series of tours of countries aimed at showcasing Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to serving Umrah pilgrims.
Streamlining procedures
The minister’s visit aims to achieve significant advancements in streamlining procedures, enhancing services, and outlining comprehensive plans for hosting pilgrims and Umrah visitors, aligning closely with the outlined objectives of “Saudi Vision 2030”, according to an official release.
I had the pleasure to meet many different government officials including the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Minority Affairs. We had great discussions about the improvement of the services to the Muslims going to Mecca and Medina,” the minister said.
Speaking on the Saudi Vision 2030, he said it is a great strategy to improve services across the kingdom and provide better services for pilgrims.
“The programme includes many pillars. One of them is to provide better access and easier access to Mecca and Medina. Visiting Mecca and Medina or performing Umrah also enriches the experience of the visitors. We are working on the development of many different historical sites and exhibitions. More than 100 historical sites and exhibitions.”
Moreover, the initiatives seek to facilitate and enhance the procedures for those travelling to the two holy ciites, aligning with the government’s steadfast commitment to creating the best possible experience.
