Hajj & Umrah Ministry Announces Requirements for Foreigners to Perform Umrah, While South Africans Still Not Allowed

Faizel Patel – 16/04/2021

The Hajj and Umrah Ministry in Saudi Arabia has announced the necessary requirements for foreign pilgrims to perform Umrah.

In a statement, the ministry says there are five steps that need to be followed by foreign Umrah pilgrims before performing their rituals.

According to the statement, all foreign pilgrims must move to the Inaya (care) Center in Makkah six hours before performing Umrah, verify their COVID-19 vaccination status, wear digital wristbands and present their bracelets upon arrival at the Al-Shubaika Assembly Center.

Officials will than verify the data and provide a date and time for pilgrims to perform Umrah.

Foreign pilgrims are also required to spend three days in quarantine in their respective hotels in Makkah after their arrival in the Kingdom.

During the blessed month of Ramadan the Ministry increased the Umrah permitsto 50,000 pilgrims a day.

Currently South Africans are unable to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

Authorities suspended entry to Saudi Arabia for travelers from 20 countries including South Africa, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Portugal among other countries

The Saudi Gazette reports that more than 10 million domestic and foreign pilgrims performed Umrah before Ramadan using the Eatmarna app following the gradual resumption of Umrah in October last year.

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