Umrah 2025: Everything You Need to Know About This Year’s Pilgrimage

As is well-known, the Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. Before the pandemic, millions of Muslims travel to Mecca from around the world to visit the Great Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al Haram) and perform various religious rituals and devotion.

However, in addition to this, Ibāda (act of worship), there is also the Umrah or the “minor Hajj,” which similarly necessitates Muslims to make their way to the Holy City and complete a set of rituals.

Since there’s a possibility of Saudi Arabia reopening their borders to pilgrims this year, let us learn more about the lesser-known Umrah pilgrimage for the year 2025.

Umrah 2025 guidelines and vaccine requirements

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that the kingdom will only allow pilgrims who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from coronavirus to embark on the pilgrimage to the Masjid al Haram in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

An individual’s vaccination status will first need to be registered on Saudi Arabia’s COVID-19 app, Tawakkalna and the Umrah app Eatmarna. The Tawakkalna and Eatmarna apps are the only official portals authorised to issue genuine permits, and the authorities have warned the public to avoid shady websites and filling out bogus forms.

The Ministry of Hajj has announced a set of guidelines regarding the implementation of Umrah and Ramadan prayer this year, mandating that Taraweeh and night prayers should not exceed 30 minutes in all mosques across the Kingdom. Also, no children will be allowed to enter the two main mosques.

Every worshipper must ensure that they have the proper permit to enter the mosques while always attempting to maintain social distancing. Those who are caught entering the mosques without a permit will be fined SR1,000. Furthermore, unauthorised vehicles will not be allowed in the central region around Makkah, and worshippers must arrive on time or risk losing their time slot.

Pilgrims will only be granted permits to perform Umrah once for this Ramadan.

Rules for foreign Umrah seekers

For foreign pilgrims allowed to enter the kingdom and perform the Umrah this year, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has laid out specific rules and guidelines to be followed, as follows:

• Pilgrims are required to visit a care centre in Makkah at least six hours before performing Umrah. This will allow the authorities to check their inoculation status according to the type of approved vaccines
• Pilgrims will then be handed their bracelets and are required to wear them. They will then be ushered to the Al-Shubaikha gathering centre where they must present their bracelets so that data and permits can be duly verified
• All pilgrims must strictly abide by the Umrah date and time allocated to them.

It’s also important to note that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has authorised hotels to book Umrah pilgrims directly without any third-party involvement during Ramadan. This means that hotels in Makkah are in a position to assist foreign pilgrims wishing to undertake Umrah.

What type of visa is needed for Umrah?

The Umrah visa is required for pilgrims looking to undertake the journey. The Umrah visa requirements are as follows:

• A completed original Umrah visa application form. The statement written at the end of the application form must be carefully read and signed. (To obtain a visa application form by post, send a large, self-addressed envelope to your nearest Saudi Consulate.)
  Note: If someone has a non-Muslim name, he or she should submit a certificate from a mosque or an Islamic centre stating that the applicant is a Muslim.
• One recent passport-size colour photograph with a white background should be attached to the application form. The photograph must be a full-face view in which the visa applicant is facing the camera directly. Side or angled views are NOT accepted.
• Passports should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of submission of the application form.
• Confirmed and non-refundable airline ticket. Departure from Saudi Arabia should be within two weeks of the date of entry.
• Women and children should be accompanied by a husband/father or a male relative (Mahram). Proof of relationship is required (a marriage certificate for a wife, a birth certificate for a child indicating the names of both parents). The Mahram must travel into and out of Saudi Arabia on the same flight as his wife and children.
  Note: If a woman is 45 years old or older, she is allowed to go without a Mahram if she travels with an organised group or family and submits a notarised No Objection Certificate from her Mahram.
  Note: If the applicant is not a national of the country he/she is applying from, a valid residency permit must be submitted with the application.
• A vaccination certificate against Meningococcal Meningitis should be attached. The certificate of vaccinations should have been issued not more than three years and not less than 10 days before entry to Saudi Arabia, and it should be valid for three years. The vaccination certificate must be with the applicant on entry to Saudi Arabia.

Umrah visa is valid for 2 weeks only. Within these 2 weeks, you should perform Umrah, making sure your departure from Saudi Arabia is within two weeks of the date of entry.

Finally, the Umrah visa itself is free, but you may need to pay for some services associated with the Umrah visa upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Universal Hajj & Umrah Services

Your customers will be as happy as you are

Universal Services is one of the fastest-growing Hajj & Umrah providing agencies, having site offices in Pakistan, the UK and Saudi Arabia. Universal Services is not a conventional Hajj & Umrah providing agency; it is a different Class of its creation. Umrah is a holy duty, and since there is no fixed time to perform it, you will find plenty of Umrah Packages throughout the year that will accommodate you just the right way.

Courtesy: https://blog.wego.com/umrah/

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