By Chloe Mayer
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Saudi Arabia has banned certain types of visas for travelers from 14 countries, weeks before the annual Muslim pilgrimage known as Hajj.
The country is clamping down on visa numbers by temporarily halting travel documents for visitors from a string of countries, with the suspension due to remain in place until after Hajj has concluded in mid-June. Officials made the move to address overcrowding and safety concerns, according to reports.
Newsweek has reached out via email to the Saudi Arabia government for comment.
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Why It Matters
Some 2 million Muslims flock to the country each year to visit the city of Mecca for Hajj, which is an obligatory pilgrimage that must be performed at least once in a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able to do so. Others may also visit the sacred sites for a voluntary pilgrimage called Umrah that can be undertaken at any time.
Hajj, which sees tens of thousands of pilgrims crammed into holy sites together, is not without risk.
Overcrowding has proved to be a significant problem, with crushes in the crowd often turning deadly. Back in 2015, more than 700 people were killed in a stampede that left more than 800 injured. While last summer, Hajj coincided with a vicious heatwave, and more than 1,000 pilgrims died as a result of searing temperatures of up to 125 degrees F.
The Saudi authorities are said to be hoping that restricting the amount of visitors will improve safety conditions.
What To Know
This year, Hajj, which falls on dates determined by the moon, is expected to begin on June 4 and end several days later on June 9.
Umrah visas, business visas, and family visit visas for certain countries are all reportedly set to be temporarily suspended. The last visas will be issued by Saudi authorities by Sunday (April 13), according to the Times of India, and no more will be issued until after Hajj has finished.
Travelers from Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen are all set to be affected.
The Times of India reported that people are known to enter Saudi Arabia on visitor or Umrah visas and then overstay in order to perform Hajj without registering officially. This allows them to bypass a quota system, which allocates a set number of Hajj places to each country to help control pilgrim numbers. It is hoped that a crackdown on all types of visas until after Hajj will prevent the problem.
What People Are Saying
The Washington D.C. Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia describes Hajj as "the largest annual gathering of people on Earth."
Its website adds: "Saudi Arabia considers serving the guests of God an honor, and dedicates vast manpower and financial resources to the proper conduct of the pilgrimage.
Over the past four decades, it has spent billions of dollars to expand the Holy Mosque in Makkah [Mecca] and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, as well as establishing modern airports, seaports, roads, lodging, and other amenities and services for the pilgrims."
What Happens Next
Muslims with the appropriate visas will be preparing for their trip, while others may have to delay their plans until next year. Meanwhile, the kingdom's officials will be gearing up for the annual influx of Hajj visitors.
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