10 million pilgrims performed Umrah since October 2020
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah revealed that 10 million pilgrims have been able to perform Umrah since the launch of the safe Umrah model and the gradual return of Umrah, prayers, and visits, pointing out that the number of visas with the beginning of Umrah in 1443 AH exceeded 12,000 from various countries.
This came at a time when the Ministry mobilized its efforts to provide service to pilgrims, worshipers, and visitors, amid the application of precautionary measures, preventive measures, and health protocols, which achieve security, safety, and human health and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus and its variants.
The Ministry works in direct coordination with the competent authorities to implement plans that are based on health, security, and organizational axes, and strive within a strategic plan to expand and increase the absorptive capacity in coordination with the entities operating in an integrated system to serve pilgrims to reach 3.5 million pilgrims, visitors and worshipers per month.
70 thousand daily pilgrims
For his part, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Abdul Fattah bin Suleiman Mashat explained that the current capacity is 70,000 pilgrims per day distributed over 8 operational periods, saying that Umrah, prayers and visit permits are issued through the “Tawakulna” application, which is technically integrated with the “Umrah for Individuals” platform. We did business.”
Mashat stressed that taking two doses of the anti-Coronavirus vaccine is a prerequisite for granting permits to those wishing to perform Umrah, pray in the Grand Mosque and visit the Prophet’s Mosque, according to the available time slots that fulfill the desire of the pilgrim and the visitor on the dates of performing Umrah and visit.
He also indicated that the competent health authorities in Saudi Arabia have approved the safety of giving the Corona vaccine to age groups from 12 years and above, and accordingly, it was allowed to grant permits to perform rituals, prayers, and a visit to this age group, provided they take the vaccine and the immunization status appears in the “Tawakulna” application.
He added that the Umrah model is now characterized by its flexibility and its rapid development based on developments, and it is one of the fruits of the strategy of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in adapting the use of modern technology to serve the pilgrims.
Increasing the number of pilgrims abroad
In addition, the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah revealed that the ministry began granting the reception of pilgrims and visitors coming from outside Saudi Arabia since the first of Muharram 1443 AH when a document of procedures, controls, and requirements regulating the arrival of pilgrims was prepared.
He also stressed the need to attach a certificate of immunization certified by the country of the pilgrim in the justifications for the request to issue a visitor visa for Umrah.
He pointed out that the competent authorities in Saudi Arabia are constantly updating the list of countries allowed to come directly to the Kingdom based on health indicators, provided that the vaccines are approved in the Kingdom.
