Saudi Arabia to reopen borders to vaccinated pilgrims
1 min read Saudi Arabia will start receiving requests for umrah pilgrimage from overseas for vaccinated worshipers beginning August 9. The transfer comes 18 months after a border closure because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi Arabia will regularly start accepting vaccinated pilgrims from overseas to the Islamic holy metropolis of Mecca beginning Monday as a part of the umrah pilgrimage, the state information company reported.
“The Ministry of Hajj and umrah announced the start of receiving umrah performers of citizens and residents, in addition to gradually receiving umrah requests from various countries of the world,” the Saudi Press Agency stated on Sunday.
According to the report, vaccinated worshipers from international locations that the Middle Eastern kingdom contains on its entry-ban checklist must endure institutional quarantine upon arrival.
Foreign pilgrims should even be inoculated with a Saudi-recognized vaccine.
Umrah — which is undertaken at any time of the 12 months not like the annual pilgrimage of hajj — was reopened for home pilgrims in October.
Both pilgrimages are key income earners for Saudi Arabia, bringing in round $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) yearly in regular instances.
