Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced April 29 as the final departure date for foreign Umrah pilgrims, as the Kingdom gears up for the annual Hajj season.
The last day for Umrah pilgrims to enter the country has been set for April 13 (Shawwal 15).
In a statement, the ministry warned that overstaying beyond April 29 would be a violation of visa and pilgrimage regulations, with penalties reaching up to SR100,000.
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Authorities said that all service providers and sponsoring agencies must ensure pilgrims adhere to the departure timeline, adding that failure to report violations could result in the maximum penalties, reports Gulf News.
The suspension of Umrah for international pilgrims before Hajj is a standard practice aimed at ensuring safety, efficient crowd management, and smooth logistics during one of the world’s largest religious events, which begins officially on Dhul Qada 1.