Home
FacebookSearchMenu
  • Subscribe (free)
  • Subscribe (free)
  • News
  • Features
  • TravelInfo
  • Columns
  • Community
  • Sponsored
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send Us News

Share

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

Saudi Arabia eases visas

07 Oct 2019
Comments | 0

SAUDI Arabia has

eased its visa policy

for South Africans,

opening up more Umrah

travel options to travellers.

Travel in Umrah period,

in the remaining ten

months of the Islamic

calendar year outside of

the Hajj pilgrimage season,

was previously tied to

strict and expensive visa

requirements.

Government relaxed

the rules this month. A

fee of SR300 (R1 192)

now applies for all visa

applications, including Visit,

Hajj and Transit.

The previous strict visa

requirements were an

attempt to regulate the

number of pilgrims during

the construction taking

place at the Holy Mosque in

Makkah.

Previously Umrah travellers

who wished to return within

a period of three Islamic

Calendar years would have

to pay SR2000 (R7 948).

“Umrah travel is extremely

popular during fasting

months such as Ramadan.

Before the new amendment

travellers would have to

skip a year or two before

returning to the holy lands,”

says Mohsin Jassat, online

travel consultant.

“The amendment is

gentler on travellers’

pockets but there are other

charges levied in the form

of increased tourism levies

and hotel levies to augment

the reduced repeat visa

fee,” he says. 

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.

Tourism faces a global slowdown

Column
Yesterday
Comments | 0

A customer guide to travelling with Delta

Sponsored
Yesterday

Kenya officially drops ETA for South Africans

Yesterday
Comments | 0

New strategy and leadership for St Helena Tourism

Yesterday
Comments | 0

EU airlines gear up for new cabin baggage rule

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Feature: MSC launches third LNG-powered vessel

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Air France-KLM eyes majority stake in SAS

Yesterday
Comments | 0

FCM rolls out virtual travel assistant in SA

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Spanish city limits tourists

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Latest Changes on Travelinfo (07Jul'25)

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Acsa insourcing push strains JNB security

06 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Creecy sets aviation priorities in budget vote

06 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Qantas the latest victim in airline cyberattacks

06 Jul 2025
Comments | 0
  • Load more

FeatureClick to view

MICE in cruising July 2025

Poll

Have your clients experienced longer queues than usual at security at OR Tambo International in recent weeks?
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Travel News on Facebook
  • eTNW Twitter
  • Travel News RSS
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send Us News