Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with about 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies, giving them 10 days to fix compliance lapses identified during routine performance reviews.
The move affects agencies operating in the Umrah sector out of an estimated 5,800, after evaluations found shortcomings in service quality and overall performance, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The ministry said the suspension applies only to the issuance of new Umrah visas and is a regulatory measure to allow agencies time to address classification and compliance deficiencies.
Contracts will be reinstated once the agencies meet the required standards within the stipulated timeframe, it said.
Umrah pilgrims who already hold valid visas or have confirmed bookings will not be affected, as services for them will continue without disruption.
The ministry said enforcing approved classification criteria and performance benchmarks is essential to improving compliance and ensuring services meet required standards, with protecting pilgrims’ rights and maintaining uninterrupted services remaining key priorities.
Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Alnwaimi said agencies that fail to correct deficiencies within the deadline will face regulatory action, adding that monitoring and evaluation will continue to strengthen the credibility of the Umrah sector and safeguard pilgrims’ rights.
