Makkah : The Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah has announced new amendments to Umrah visa regulations, including reducing the validity period from three months to one month from the date of issuance, Al-Arabiya.net reported citing private sources.

Under the new rules, which will take effect next week, Umrah visas will be automatically cancelled 30 days after issuance if the pilgrim fails to register for entry into Saudi Arabia.

However, the duration of stay for pilgrims inside the Kingdom remains unchanged at three months.

The ministry’s move aims to streamline the visa management system and regulate the inflow of pilgrims to the holy cities, particularly during the cooler months when pilgrim numbers traditionally rise.

Ahmed Bajaeifer, adviser to the National Committee for Umrah and

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