Saudi Arabia changed its visa rules and added more flights from India to encourage Indians to go on the “Umrah” pilgrimage to Makkah, a trip Muslims take outside Ramadan. The announcement came from Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Tawfig Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah.
With an expected 1.37 million Indian Muslims doing Umrah in 2024 (up from 1.2 million in 2023), Al-Rabiah mentioned that Indians can now do Umrah with their work or tourism visas, and they don’t need a special Umrah visa. He also praised Indian expats for helping Saudi Arabia economically and culturally.
Al-Rabiah talked about an upcoming event in India—the launch of the “Nusuk” platform. This platform will showcase electronic services to enhance the Umrah experience, providing digital resources for the spiritual journey to Makkah and Madinah. It will also introduce pilgrims to historical and Islamic sites in these cities.
To make travel easier for Umrah pilgrims from India, there will be more dedicated flights from various Indian airports to Jeddah and Madinah, making the journey smoother.
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