Saudi Arabia imposes visa ban on 14 countries including India, What is the reason?
Temporary suspension of Umrah, business, and family visas aims to control Hajj crowds and prevent unauthorized pilgrimages following last year’s tragic incident.;
Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary ban on visas to a total of 14 countries including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This temporary ban by the Saudi Arabian government will apply to business and family visas, as well as Umrah visas. Saudi Arabia's visa ban will remain in force till the end of the Hajj pilgrimage in June.
This ban has been imposed amid efforts to control the crowd caused by the Hajj pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia's visa ban is a matter of disappointment for pilgrims from countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from where thousands of people go on Hajj.
Saudi Arabian officials said that this step has been taken to prevent people from performing Hajj without proper registration. Officials have alleged that citizens of other countries come to Saudi Arabia with an Umrah visa or visit visa and stay there illegally to perform Hajj in the holy Mecca.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered officials to implement strict visa rules so that the Hajj pilgrimage in the country can be done smoothly and safely. According to the report, under the new initiative, visit visas or Umrah visas will be issued to people coming from foreign countries till April 13.
After this, no new visa will be issued to any person from the 14 countries included in the list. The report identifies 13 countries on which Saudi Arabia's visa ban will apply. Another country has not been identified. The countries on which Saudi Arabia has imposed a visa ban include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Yemen.
This decision comes after the tragedy during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage, in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Many of these pilgrims were unauthorized. The accident happened due to an excessive crowd and extreme heat. Saudi Arabia now believes that visa restrictions to restrict illegal travellers will facilitate a smooth Hajj pilgrimage devoid of such tragedies.