KARACHI: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has reduced the validity of Umrah visas from three months to one month from the date of issuance, Saudi news channel Al Arabiya.net reported.

The new amendments, which will go into effect from next week, also includes the cancellation of the visa 30 days after its date of issuance in case the pilgrim has not entered the kingdom within this period.

Reducing the visa’s validity, however, will not affect the permitted duration of stay after the pilgrim arrives in Saudi Arabia. All those arriving to perform Umrah are allowed to stay for three months.

The changes were made to prevent overcrowding of pilgrims in the two holy cities during cooler months, according to Ahmed Bajafar, adviser to the National Committee for Umrah and Visit.

Although Umrah rituals are solely performed in Makkah, many Umrah pilgrims seize the chance to visit Madina during their short trip to Saudi Arabia.

In October, Riyadh introduced stricter Umrah rules, including mandatory pre-booking of accommodation and verifying transport bookings on Nusuk or Masar upon arrival. The kingdom has recently made it clear that holders of all types of visas are allo­wed to perform Umrah during their stay.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2025