Saudi Arabia simplifies visa procedures for Turkish pilgrims
Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of a range of products, packages and experiences for pilgrims from Turkey wishing to visit Makkah and Madinah.
At a trade roadshow hosted in Istanbul this week, the Saudi Tourism Authority announced that Turkish citizens can now obtain an entry visa into Saudi Arabia quickly and easily.
Turkish nationals wishing to visit Saudi Arabia will now have the option to obtain a tourist visa through the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in Turkey, the visa issued within 48 hours through accredited travel and tourism offices in Turkey listed on the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, and European Union countries, or holders of active US, UK and Schengen visas can obtain the visa upon arrival at the airports in Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh and Dammam.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah also launched Nusuk, an integrated digital government platform designed to enhance and enrich the Umrah experience for Muslims visiting Makkah and Madinah, in Turkish language.
The platform will enable simpler arrival procedures for visitors to perform Umrah, in addition to a range of services that will include facilitating visas, permits, booking processes and procedures along with special packages for Makkah, Madinah and a host of other historical and religious sites in Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, Saudi citizens can now issue a personal visit visa for their friends, as can citizens and residents wishing to host their relatives. This can be done through the unified national visa platform visa.mofa.gov.sa.
