RIYADH: Foreign pilgrims have expressed their happiness about being able to perform Umrah after a months-long hiatus due to the pandemic.

The first group of fully jabbed foreign Umrah pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia on Aug. 15 after a temporary ban was lifted.

Ishfaq Iqbal, from the US, said: “The Kingdom’s efforts to serve pilgrims and visitors are clear and tangible through the diverse services, and we’re bearing witness to the remarkable development.”

Abdul Majid Al-Jazaaeri, from Algeria, commended Saudi Arabia for its services facilitating Umrah for overseas pilgrims. He praised the carts on offer to help the elderly and those with health issues to move around with ease.

Umrah pilgrims from abroad are required to present a certificate on arrival that has been validated in their home country and states they have been fully jabbed with a vaccine approved by the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Pilgrims must also adhere to quarantine measures if they are coming from countries where there is a ban on direct entry to the Kingdom.

The deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat, said that all Saudi Umrah companies had been preparing to serve foreign pilgrims and were dedicated to providing them with the best services, from their point of arrival until their departure.