- Safiu Kehinde
Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended issuance of Umrah, business, and family visit visas for Nigeria and 13 other countries ahead of Hajj season.
This was disclosed in a post shared on X on Monday.
According to the post, Saudi officials said the move was to prevent unregistered individuals from entering the Kingdom to perform Hajj without proper permits.
The Arab nation recorded over 400,000 unregistered pilgrims who joined the Hajj pilgrimage in 2024, leading to overcrowding and serious safety risks.
Sadly, 1,301 deaths were recorded-most due to heat-related causes, and many without official Hajj permits.
The Saudi authorities are also addressing the misuse of visit and business visas by individuals who stay beyond their visa periods or work illegally, which violates Saudi laws and strains local infrastructure.
The Saudi foreign ministry said the suspension is meant to “enhance safety and streamline travel” during Hajj, stressing that anyone found overstaying or in violation of visa rules may face a 5-year entry ban.
Other affected countires alongside Nigeria include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco.
Meanwhile, Umrah visa holders will still be allowed entry until April 13, after which the suspension remains in place until mid-June, when the Hajj pilgrimage concludes.