Saudi Arabia has allowed citizens to invite their Muslim friends abroad to the Kingdom to perform Umrah on a “personal visit visa,” the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has said.
Personal visas, which can be obtained online, can either be single entry or multiple entry, the ministry said, according to a report in Arab News.
Aside from performing Umrah rituals at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, visitors can also make trips to various tourism destinations in the Kingdom. A personal visit visa application can be made through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform.
Earlier, the Kingdom launched the “personal visit visa” category that allows Saudi citizens to invite their friends and acquaintances from abroad to visit the country. The visa can be obtained online and is valid for up to 90 days.
The personal visit visa is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the country’s economy and make it more attractive to tourists.
