Cairo: Muslim holders of the World Cup fan tickets, known as Hayya Cards, can perform the lesser pilgrimage or umrah in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi official has said.
Holders of the same cards can also visit the Saudi holy city of Medina, added Khalid Al Shamiri, an assistant director of the Visas Department at the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
Last week, the Saudi government said the state would incur the costs of e-services related to the issuance of a free entry visa to the kingdom for the Hayya Card holders who will attend the FIFA World Cup due to start in Qatar next month.
”This visa is free, but the holder must get an obligatory medical insurance from the Tasheera [Visa] platform,” the official told Saudi television Al Ekhbariya.
The visa will be valid for entering the kingdom starting from November 11, i.e. 10 days before the kick-off of the World Cup.
The visa holder can spend up to two months in the kingdom, said the official, adding that tens of thousands of the Hayya Card fans have applied to get the Saudi visa.
