Jeddah: Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage applications from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims, starting August 9, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday.
The kingdom is receiving the requests after about a year and a half of not allowing overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
An official of the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry said that vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival.
“Saudi government will also increase the overall capacity of the pilgrims to two million per month with certain conditions,” he added.
Moreover, domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorized COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.
Reportedly, with a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques.
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