Saudi Arabia opened its Umrah applications on Sunday announcing that it will accept Umrah requests starting from Aug. 9, 2021, for pilgrims to perform the Islamic ritual.
However, citizens of 9 countries remain barred from entering the Kingdom to visit and pray in the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque.
Pakistan is among those nine countries whose citizens will remain barred from attending the pilgrimage. Other countries on the list include Egypt, the US, France, Italy, Iran, South Africa, the UK, Sweden.
Permits will initially be granted to 60,000 Umrah pilgrims per month, but that number will gradually be increased to two million per month, the report said.
Overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request, it said.
The Kingdom also decided to allow entry to foreign travellers fully vaccinated with either Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, provided that they also receive a booster shot of either of the four vaccines approved by the Kingdom, according to the country’s e-visa portal.
(Featured image source SPA via Reuters)
