Saudi Arabia temporarily suspends Umrah visas on coronavirus

The Saudi government temporarily suspended entry to the Kingdom for Umrah pilgrims and those planning to visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry also suspended visas for tourists coming from countries in which the coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a "danger", based on the standards set by the Kingdom’s competent health authorities.

Meanwhile, Saudis and GCC citizens were temporarily banned from using their national IDs to move from and to the Kingdom. The procedure excludes Saudis abroad, in case they have previously used their IDs to leave the Kingdom, as well as GCC nationals who are currently in the Kingdom and wish to return home.

The Kingdom affirmed that these procedures are temporary, and are subject to continuous evaluation by the competent authorities.