No Increase in Visa Fee for Haj and Umrah: Indian Ambassador to Saudi

Hyderabad, October 24: The Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Ausaf Sayeed IFS on Thursday took to social media to assuage concerns of Indian Muslims amid reports of hike in visa fee. In a statement on social media, he clarified that there is no increase in the visa fee for Hajj and Umrah.

His message comes after some media outlets reported that hike in visa fee might affect pilgrimage. The Ambassador clarified that in September this year a royal decree by the Saudi government annulled “the penalty of SAR 2000 for pilgrims performing second or consecutive Umrah in less than a year.”

According to Dr. Sayeed, said “visa fee for Hajj and Umrah is only SAR 300 which is around $80.”

The 1989 batch IFS officer also added that work on improving the experience of Haj and Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia has already begun. Dr. Sayeed on Wednesday met the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh Bin Taher Benten to discuss arrangements for Indian Hajis during Haj 2020”

Earlier this month, he called upon the Governor of Madinah HRH Faisal bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and expressed gratitude for “excellent arrangements for Indian Hajis in Madinah”. He said the governor “shared futuristic plans on the anvil for increasing the room capacity in Madinah & introducing a rapid transport system for the benefit of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.”

“This year 62,000 Indian pilgrims arrived at the Madinah Airport in the pre-Haj phase and around 75,000 departed from here.”

He added that “the Kingdom has also opened up tourist visas for several nationalities, which will be valid for one year and multiple entries on which Umrah can be performed without going through a travel agent.”
“We are working with the Kingdom to extend similar facilities to bonafide Indian tourists, particularly those with valid US, UK and Schengen visas”, he added.