Saudi Arabia places visa restrictions on Nigeria, 13 other nations over Hajj illegality
Nigeria and 13 other countries has been restricted by the Saudi Arabian government to single-entry visas, limited to 30 days.
FCNN gathered that the changes apply to tourists, business travellers, and those visiting family members but exclude applicants for Hajj, Umrah, diplomatic, or residency visas.
Other affected nations includes Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
The Saudi Arabia’s government explained the rationale for the new regulations, alleging that there is misuse of multiple-entry visas as a key reason for the policy shift.
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It further noted that some travellers used long-term visas to stay in the country illegally or participate in Hajj without proper authorisation.
The Saudi government regulates Hajj attendance through a fixed quota per country, and unauthorised pilgrims have contributed to overcrowding.
Officials described the suspension of multiple-entry visas as a temporary measure but have not provided a specific timeline for its review. The development comes ahead of the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
It could be recalled that in 2024, over 1,200 pilgrims lost their lives due to extreme heat and congestion, a crisis authorities believe was exacerbated by unregistered attendees.
