Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has announced a ban on visit visa holders from entering the holy city of Makkah during the Hajj season.
The ban, effective from May 23 to June 21, prohibits foreigners holding visit visas in Saudi Arabia from traveling to Makkah during this period. The ministry emphasized that visit visas do not authorize individuals to perform Hajj rituals in Makkah and urged compliance with the directive.
In addition, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah has suspended the issuance of Umrah permits through the Nusuk app, an online platform for obtaining permits to perform the religious rituals.
Strict penalties and fines await those who violate the ban. Offenders caught in Makkah and the holy sites without a Haj permit, including citizens, residents, and visitors, face a fine of SR10,000 ($2,666). Repeat offenders will face doubled fines, and resident violators risk deportation and being banned from reentering Saudi Arabia.
Penalties will be enforced in specific areas of Makkah, including the city, central Haram area, and holy sites such as Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, as well as at the Haramain train station in Russeifa, security control centers, pilgrims’ grouping centers, and temporary security control centers.
Furthermore, individuals found transporting pilgrims in Makkah without Haj permits may face imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of 50,000 Saudi riyals.
