ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has announced that visitors and residents holding any type of visa will now be permitted to perform Umrah while in the kingdom, Dawn.com reported.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah said in a statement on Sunday that people holding “personal and family visit visas, electronic tourist visas, transit visas, work visas, and other types of visas” will be able to perform Umrah in the kingdom during their stay.

The ministry said the move was part of the kingdom’s efforts to streamline procedures for Umrah performers and broaden access to services within the Haj and Umrah system, in support of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

“This step reflects the kingdom’s ongoing commitment to facilitating the arrival of Muslims from around the world to perform their rituals with ease and tranquillity,” the statement said.

Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia.

In July, the federal cabinet formally approved the Haj Policy 2026, outlining key procedural, financial and logistic measures for the pilgrimage season.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2025