Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended agreements with 1,800 foreign travel agencies over Umrah-related violations and halted the issuance of new visas for these companies, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah stated that approximately 5,800 overseas travel agencies are officially registered. Still, disciplinary action was taken against companies that failed to meet the required service standards for Umrah pilgrims.
Affected agencies have been given 10 days to rectify violations, after which agreements may be reinstated upon compliance.
The ministry clarified that the decision will not affect pilgrims who obtained Umrah visas before the suspension, and they can travel to Saudi Arabia according to their planned schedules.
Authorities emphasized that the temporary visa suspension applies only to agencies found violating service regulations, aiming to improve services provided to Umrah pilgrims worldwide