Saudi Arabia has suspended the issuance of Umrah, business, and family visit visas for citizens of 14 countries—including India—until mid-June 2025, aligning with the conclusion of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. The decision, according to reports, is aimed at managing crowd control and ensuring the safety of pilgrims during the peak season.
The suspension will be in effect until after the Hajj, scheduled for June 4–9, 2025. The final date for issuing Umrah visas has been set as April 13, 2025, after which no new visas of these categories will be granted to nationals from the affected countries.
The 14 countries impacted by the temporary visa suspension are: Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
Why Is India on the List?
India’s inclusion stems from concerns raised by Saudi authorities over individuals bypassing the official Hajj registration system. Reports indicate that some travelers from India and other listed countries have entered Saudi Arabia on Umrah or visit visas and then overstayed to perform Hajj without proper authorization. This practice circumvents the kingdom’s quota-based Hajj allocation system, which is designed to regulate and manage the number of pilgrims each country sends.
Authorities believe that a significant portion of the overcrowding and logistical issues experienced during Hajj 2024—which saw over 1,200 fatalities primarily due to extreme heat—were linked to unregistered participants. These individuals often lack access to essential services such as accommodations, transport, and medical care, thereby exacerbating safety risks.
No Diplomatic Fallout — Just Logistics
According to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the visa freeze is a precautionary measure to ensure a safer and more organized pilgrimage. The move is not connected to diplomatic tensions. Diplomatic visas, residency permits, and Hajj-specific visas remain unaffected, and officially registered pilgrims can proceed with their travel plans as scheduled.
Saudi officials have also reiterated that any individual caught performing Hajj without a proper permit, or found overstaying their visa duration, may face a five-year ban from re-entering the kingdom.
A Follow-Up to Earlier Restrictions
This latest measure comes after Saudi Arabia, in February 2025, indefinitely suspended one-year multiple-entry visas for these 14 countries and limited travel to 30-day single-entry visas. The current suspension further tightens access in the lead-up to Hajj 2025.
In short, India’s place on the list is a result of past visa misuse by a minority of travelers, and Saudi Arabia’s move is aimed at ensuring better compliance and safety—not penalizing countries as a whole.
