In an important declaration, Saudi Arabia announced that children will not be allowed to accompany the pilgrims who come for the Hajj in 2025. The step was taken as a precautionary measure by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to save the kids from the risks that the great hustle and bustle of the yearly pilgrimage presents.
The ministry has stated that it would be a guarantee for the safety and security of the juveniles, purging them from any possible risks occurring in the massive congregations during the Hajj.
Besides the introduction of this rule, Saudi Arabia has also gone further to grant first-time pilgrims priority in this year’s Hajj, hence increasing the experience in comfort. The ministry also introduced a number of measures to enhance safety, including safety awareness campaigns, complex systems to help facilitate the movement of pilgrims in areas considered holy, and improvement of infrastructure that modernizes tent camps and pedestrian pathways.
The 2025 Hajj season is now accepting registrations. The pilgrimage of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is expected to fall on June 4-6 this year, subject to moon sighting. The portal opened for Saudi citizens’ registration on the Nusuk app or the official website.
From February 1, 2025, there will be significant changes in the issuance of the visa policy. As per the new rules, single-entry visas are granted to travelers coming from 14 specific countries. This is in order to prevent the illegal entry of Hajj pilgrims by way of long-term visit visas.
These countries were Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen. The suspension of one-year multiple-entry visas for tourism, business trips, and visiting family members for travelers from the stated countries would, therefore, be implied.
From now on, the visa conditions for visitors coming from these countries will be restricted to single entries valid for 30 days for a stay as long. The new measure would not be applicable to visas for Hajs, Umrahs, diplomatic missions, and residency purposes.
These changes, Saudi officials have said, come because of concerns over abuses involving multiple-entry visas. Reports suggest that travelers have entered the country on long-term visit visas and overstayed the time they’re allowed in the country in order to work or to perform Hajj without proper authorization.
