Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia has approved the exemption of the payment of a fee for expatriates working in the Haj and Umrah sector for a period of six months.
The move was approved by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman out of his keenness to mitigate the financial and economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals, private sector establishments, and investors in the Hajj and Umrah sector, local media reported.
The initiatives include the following:
1. Exemption of the annual fee for municipal commercial activity licenses for accommodation facilities for a period of one year in Makkah and Madinah.
2. Exemption of the fee for expatriates working in these firms for a period of six months.
3. Renewal of the Ministry of Tourism licenses for a period of one year free of charge for accommodation facilities in Makkah and Madinah, which can be extended.
4. Postponement of the fee collection for the renewal of residency permit (iqama) for expatriates working in this sector for a period of six months, with a condition that the amounts are to be paid in installments within a year.
5. Extension of the validity of licenses (istimara) of buses operated by establishments to transport pilgrims without charge for a period of one year.
6. Postponement of the collection of customs duties for new buses for the Haj season of 2021 for a period of three months and paying them in installments over a period of four months starting from the due date.
These initiatives come as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the financial and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sectors operating in the field of Haj and Umrah and economic activities most affected by the repercussions of the pandemic.
The Saudi government launched more than 150 initiatives, with allocations exceeding SR180 billion, aimed to reduce the repercussions of the pandemic and mitigate its effects on individuals, the private sector, and investors.
