Makkah Al-Mukarramah - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the start of receiving guests of the Rahman from citizens and residents, in addition to receiving requests for Umrah from various countries of the world gradually, starting from the first Monday of Muharram 1443 AH corresponding to August 9, 2021 AD, to perform Umrah, visit and pray in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. A capacity of up to 60 thousand pilgrims distributed over 8 operational periods, to reach the capacity of 2 million pilgrims per month, and the issuance of permits will be through the “Umrah and Trust us” applications, amid an integrated system of services and preventive measures, taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the safety and health Those wishing to perform the rituals of Umrah and visit.

His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdul Fattah bin Suleiman Mashat, explained that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah worked in coordination with other concerned authorities before the start of the Umrah season 1443 AH, to put in place executive mechanisms and create a safe and accessible environment for the pilgrims throughout their journey to achieve security, safety and human health. 

Regarding the standards of safe transportation services, he stated that the number of passengers on the bus will not exceed 50% of the bus’s capacity, while maintaining a safe distance inside the bus, providing sterilizers, and ensuring the permits of pilgrims issued by the “Umrah and We Trust” applications before boarding the bus, noting that transportation centers The stations (Kedi and Al Shesha), and the gathering points around the Great Mosque of Mecca (Ajyad, Bab Ali, and Al Shabeeka) were equipped according to precise procedures to implement the highest standards and health precautionary measures set by the competent authorities, to receive pilgrims and worshipers from inside and outside the Kingdom, stressing that the guests of Rahman who have obtained Entry permits to the Great Mosque of Mecca through the "Umrahna and Watwakkalna" applications, they can pay the value of this optional service through the two applications, "Umrahna and Tawakkalna", in order to save time and avoid waiting in transportation centers.

Mashat indicated that the ministry is working, in coordination with the competent authorities, to determine the countries from which the pilgrims are offered, and their numbers on a periodic basis according to the classification of preventive measures, and the requirements for the countries from which the pilgrims and visitors come to the Kingdom, and the accreditation of service providers (Umrah companies, hotels, and transport companies) who are qualified in accordance with the regulations This exceptional stage, precautionary requirements and health protocols, making their services available for display through electronic marketing platforms approved in the Saudi Central Booking Engine, and electronic ratification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for contracts concluded between external agents and Saudi Umrah companies, in line with the requirements of remote work to protect against the risk of spread Corona virus covid 19.

Regarding the health protocols for pilgrims from within the Kingdom, His Excellency indicated that immunization will be a prerequisite for performing Umrah, praying in the Grand Mosque, and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque, as shown by the “Tawakulna” application for the three immunization categories (immunized with two doses of the Corona virus vaccine, or a person who has spent 14 days). After receiving the first dose of the vaccine, or an immunized person recovering from infection) for all immunized age groups for the pilgrims inside.

As for the pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom, a certificate of immunization certified by the official authorities in the country of the pilgrim must be attached within the justifications for requesting the performance of the rituals, with the condition that the vaccines be approved

In the Kingdom, in addition to an acknowledgment of the correctness of the information, and commitment to the institutional quarantine procedures for the entry of travelers coming to the Kingdom from countries from which the suspension of direct entry to the Kingdom is still continuing, according to the mechanisms approved by the competent authorities.

The Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah called for the necessity of adhering to the organizational plans and health procedures established by the ministry in cooperation with the competent authorities for the safety of the pilgrims and those serving them and to prevent the spread of the Corona virus and its variants, and the need to obtain a permit for Umrah through the “We trust us and Umrah” application.