In the light of the annual Hajj period, Saudi Arabia has imposed stricter visa policies for 14 countries including Pakistan. The visa restrictions will affect multiple entry visas for business, tourism and family visits.
According to new changes taking place from February 1, 2025 visitors from the countries including Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen will only be eligible for single-entry visa valid for 30 days only. The previous visa was approved for one-year multiple entries. However, this will not affect the Hajj, Umrah or any diplomatic or residency visas.
The Saudi authorities have mentioned that the reason for this change in the policy is to prevent unauthorized participation in Hajj as it is seen previously that people arrived using multiple entry visas and overstayed to perform Hajj. This led to an increased number of people causing significant safety risks and overcrowding. Another reason has been stated as the prevention of unauthorized employment. People with multiple entry business or family visas have been reported to undertake illegal employment. The Saudi government has advised people to follow the new guidelines and prevent overstaying to avoid penalties.
These policy changes are expected to bring longer processing times due to increased applications and stricter regulations in place. Moreover, the airline tickets and hotel prices are expected to fluctuate as well. More policy changes are expected as the Saudi government aligns itself with Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030.