Worshippers perform the Umrah in Makkah. File

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced new measures for performing Umrah for overseas pilgrims.

According to the new rules shared by the Saudi ministry, the Umrah and other rituals are limited to those aged from 18 to 50 years.

The ministry said that overseas pilgrims must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with vaccines recognised by the Saudi Arabia Health Ministry.

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The pilgrims must carry their vaccination certificate to obtain an electronic entry visa. The visa can be acquired through the Saudi Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Umrah and Hajj said.

Before traveling, pilgrims are urged to check their status with authorised travel agents to book their tickets.

It will be limited to those who received two doses of the virus vaccine approved in the Kingdom.

The ministry explained that in case a person desires to get an Umrah visa from outside Saudi Arabia, he can communicate with one of the official travel agencies and provide an official vaccine certificate.

The Saudi ministry recently launched two applications,  “Eatmarna and Tawakkalna,” to get the permits from outside the kingdom.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said that the authorities have decided to limit the issuance of permits to perform Umrah and prayers in the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque for vaccinated people only.

The ministry explained that it will be limited to those who received two doses of the virus vaccine approved in the Kingdom, and the cases exempted from taking the vaccine.

The authorities said that the pilgrims who have completed the reservation and issuance of a permit to perform the Umrah, prayer or visitation without completing the two vaccination doses, must hurry to take the second dose 48 hours before the date of the permit in order to avoid cancellation, knowing that the dates are available to take and complete the vaccine doses in the vaccination centers all over the kingdom.