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.
Saudi Arabia eases visas
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