During the first week of Ramadan, more than 7.4 million pilgrims arrived at the Masjid al-Haram, and the Saudi government also opened the third expansion of the mosque for the pilgrims.

During the first week of Ramadan, more than 7.4 million pilgrims arrived at the Masjid al-Haram, and the Saudi government also opened the third expansion of the mosque for the pilgrims.

The Director-General of the Department of Statistics and Information at the Haramain Affairs Agency in Saudi Arabia stated that during the initial eight days of the first ten days of Ramadan, more than 7.4 million pilgrims arrived at Masjid al-Haram. According to Arab media, the Umrah pilgrimage program had been restricted during Ramadan for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, this year, after complete capacity, a large number of Umrah pilgrims from all over the world are arriving in the holy land. During the first eight days of the first ten days of Ramadan last year, more than 7.4 million pilgrims, including local and foreign visitors, arrived at Masjid al-Haram. In addition, the third expansion of the mosque, which has been opened by the Saudi government for the convenience of pilgrims, has accommodated more than 12,000 worshippers who performed congregational prayers and Taraweeh prayers.

 

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia has announced that during the holy month of Ramadan, no person will be allowed to perform more than one Umrah, and all people should perform only one Umrah to give others the opportunity to perform Umrah as well.

— JFM Press (@JFMPress) April 3, 2023

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia has announced that during the holy month of Ramadan, no person will be allowed to perform more than one Umrah, and all people should perform only one Umrah to give others the opportunity to perform Umrah as well. The purpose of this restriction on Umrah during Ramadan is to ensure that everyone has the chance to perform Umrah comfortably and peacefully. In a statement, the Ministry advised that those who wish to perform Umrah should obtain their permits through the "Nusk App" and adhere to the designated time and date. Editing the Umrah date and time is not possible in the system, and if anyone wishes to make any changes to the permit obtained through the Nusk App, they will have to cancel it. However, the cancellation can be done before the permit starts, and after cancellation, they will have to obtain a new permit.

The Nusk Plateform facilitates the issuance of visas and permits for Muslim pilgrims who wish to perform Umrah or visit the holy places in the country. It is one of the measures taken by Saudi Arabia in recent months to provide multiple facilities to Muslim pilgrims who are eager to visit the country for Umrah. Muslim pilgrims with different types of visas, including personal, visitor, and tourist visas, are allowed to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque.

Additionally, the Saudi authorities have reduced the duration of Umrah visas from 30 days to 15 days to accommodate more pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan. However, the authorities have not yet announced the number of Umrah permits that will be issued during Ramadan. The Ministry has also urged people to comply with all preventive measures against COVID-19, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, during their visit.