The new Umrah policy has introduced significant changes to the visa regulations for pilgrims. Under the updated guidelines, travelers must now enter Saudi Arabia within one month of their Umrah visa issuance, or their visa will be automatically canceled.

Previously visa holders were allowed three months to travel after issuance Umrah visa, but the new policy has shortened that period to 30 days.

However, once inside the Kingdom, pilgrims would still be allowed to stay up to three months, thus maintaining the previous duration for performing Umrah and related activities.

The new rules, according to Ahmed Bajafar, an Advisor to the National Committee for Umrah, will be in place starting next week. According to him, the motive behind the move is to efficiently regulate the growing number of Umrah pilgrims and ensure orderly travel and accommodation arrangements in all the holy sites.

The Ministry added that this new Umrah visa policy is in tune with the whole thought process of Saudi Arabia to attract an enhanced pilgrim-like experience along with better crowd control, specially during peak religious seasons.

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In a report related to this, Arab News revealed that more than 4 million Umrah visas had been issued since June 2025 alone — an unprecedented figure compared to previous years.

According to Saudi officials, changes regarding Umrah visa reflect the continued commitment of the Kingdom towards improving its religious tourism framework. Its new policy aims to ensure safety, organization, and accessibility for the millions of pilgrims from around the world each year.