Ahead of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of 14 countries. The government will refrain from the issuance of Umrah, business, and family visit visas until mid-June 2025, which coincides with the conclusion of Hajj.
The ban comes amid efforts to manage overcrowding associated with the Hajj pilgrimage and to prevent individuals from attempting to perform Hajj without proper registration, as stated by Saudi officials. This measure aims to avert a recurrence of last year’s Hajj stampede, which resulted from extreme heat and the influx of unregistered pilgrims.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has directed authorities to enhance visa regulations. According to the revised rules, the final day to apply for an Umrah visa this year is April 13, 2025. Furthermore, no new Umrah visas will be issued until after Hajj concludes.
According to multiple media reports, countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and more will be subjected to Saudi Arabia’s visa ban; this development comes as a disappointment to pilgrims from these countries, as thousands of individuals embark on the holy pilgrimage
Saudi officials have also released a digital Hajj and Umrah guide in 16 languages to help and educate pilgrims on safe and legal pilgrimage procedures – with the administration issuing an unforgiving warning: anyone caught staying illegally during Hajj would face a five-year ban on entering Saudi Arabia and a fine of SAR 10,000, thereby advising pilgrims to enter using Hajj permit to avoid attempting to circumvent the system
A complete list of countries that’ll be facing the Saudi Arabia visa ban in 2025.
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Nigeria
- Jordan
- Algeria
- Sudan
- Ethiopia
- Tunisia
- Yemen
