RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has decided to extend the duration of stay for Sudanese Umrah pilgrims who have entered the country on pilgrimage visas, in response to the ongoing crisis in Sudan.
Additionally, the Saudi government has launched a program through which Saudi citizens and expatriates can host Sudanese pilgrims by converting their Umrah visas into visit visas.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, these initiatives are aligned with the humanitarian initiatives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to support the people of Sudan. The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has already initiated the procedure to extend the visas of Sudanese pilgrims who are unable to return home due to the crisis.
Officials said that in order to host Sudanese pilgrims, Saudi citizens and expatriates can access the Ministry of Interior’s electronic platform, Absher Individuals, and apply for a visit visa by selecting the “Request to host Sudanese pilgrims” service. The host must attach a copy of their passport and entry visa, and include a brief explanation of the request.
Besides, it has now become possible to modify the name of the host in the pilgrim’s record, and the pilgrim is exempt from paying the first-time visa fees. This concession is only applicable to those pilgrims who are unable to travel to Sudan due to the ongoing crisis.
