Saudi Arabia Temporarily Suspends Visa for 14 Countries Including India for Hajj 2025
Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended Umrah, business, and family visit visas for 14 countries including India, Pakistan, and Egypt, ahead of the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage. Learn more about the reason and timeline.
kowshik Reddy
To regulate the influx of pilgrims, Saudi Arabia has stopped issuing Umrah, business, and family visit visas to citizens of 14 countries, including India. The suspension has taken effect as part of the preparations for the annual event of Hajj to be held between June 4 to June 9, 2025.
Countries affected are:
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- India
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- Tunisia
- Yemen
As said by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, this temporary suspension aims to thwart unlicensed means of arriving for Hajj through other types of visas. Hajj may have been performed by some who entered the kingdom on visit or Umrah visas in previous years, resulting in wild overcrowding and safety issues.
The decision will stay in effect until mid-June 2025, a time shortly after the end of the Hajj season.
Those who have valid Umrah visas may enter the kingdom until April 13, 2025, and new applications for the issuance of Umrah, business, and family visit visas from the listed countries will not be accepted until the ban is lifted.
The current suspension will not affect diplomatic visas, visas for Hajj, or residence permits.
The Saudi officials emphasized that it is a routine logistical measure to ensure safety and orderly crowd control around one of the world's largest religious convocations and that it is unrelated to any political or diplomatic issues.
Travelers are expected to comply with the amended regulations, with any violations subject to punishments, including, but not limited to, a five-year entry bar.
