Visa holders can’t enter Makkah during Hajj season — Saudi interior ministry

Muslim pilgrims pray outside Namira Mosque in Arafat on the second day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 27, 2023. (AP/File)

• Between May 23 and June 21, only pilgrims with Hajj permits can enter Makkah
• Interior ministry says penalties to be imposed on anyone violating the rules

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Interior has announced visit visa holders will not be allowed to enter or remain in Makkah during the Hajj season.
Between May 23 and June 21, only pilgrims with Hajj permits may do so, with penalties imposed on anyone violating the rules.
The ministry emphasized that visit visas did not give the holder permission to perform Hajj. It also urged visitors currently in Saudi Arabia to avoid travel to Makkah during the specified period.
“Violators will be subject to penalties according to the Kingdom’s regulations,” said a statement from the ministry.
Earlier, the Ministry of Interior said it would start imposing fines amounting to $2,666 on anyone, including Saudi citizens, caught entering Makkah without a Hajj permit between June 2-20.