Faizel Patel, 2016-08-10
The South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) says while new amendments have been introduced to visa fees in Saudi Arabia, visas for hajj remains free.
According to Al-Arabiya, the new fee structure which comes into effect from the 2nd of October 2016 will see all visa fees completely waived and fully paid by the Saudi government for all first-time pilgrims going for either Hajj or Umrah.
President of SAHUC Shaheen Essop says the only fee payable for hajj is for services.
“I think one needs to understand that for Hajj already there is no fee for first time hujjaj going into the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The only fees that are paid are tanazzul taxes and that’s not a visa fee, that is for services levied in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
However Essop says that for repeat Umrah’s there might be a fee according to the Al-Arabiya article that would be payable because of the increase in the number of mutamrieen coming to Kingdom for Umrah from next year.
“So far as the Umrah situation is concerned, for a first time Umrah person, if you’ve never been Umrah before obviously they are going to waive the fee Alhamdulillah. The problem comes where repeat Umrah people Mutamireen are going to go in and excessive fees are basically being charged which certainly points to the Saudi Arabian government being in serious financial need.”
Essop says more information is required to understand the new amendments and SAHUC will engage with the Saudi Arabian embassy as well as authorities in the Kingdom to seek clarification.
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