Circular 1424H

To all Saudi companies and establishments authorized to provide Umrah services
May the peace of Allah be upon you

With the beginning of Umrah season for the year 1424H, we ask Allah to assist all of us in order to provide the visitors and Umrah conductors with the best services and achieve the wished objectives of organization for Umrah conductors services in the way that befits the Kingdom and its government, and its concerns and priorities to serve the guests of Allah the most gracious.

Wishing to strengthen the advantages of organization during the last two years, and to avoid and rectify the disadvantages, and according to the royal directions and instructions; and decisions issued by his eminence, the minister of pilgrimage, and as per coordination procedures among concerned authorities, we request all Saudi companies and establishments authorized to provide Umrah services to comply with the rules and restrictions and implement all instructions included in this circular, which are as follows:-
1- All previous issued instructions.
2- Reviewing all contracts and guarantees, their authentication and open the automatic system.
3- Umrah visas.
4- Visa controls.
5- Umrah conductors leaving by sea.
6- Other procedures.
7- Training and qualification.

Undersecretary of Umrah affaires
Dr. Mohamed Saleh Bin Taher Bantan


First: Previous issued instructions

Insure reviewing all terms and conditions of organizing Umrah conductors services, issued by the ministerial decree No.(93) dated 10/06/1420H and its executive regulation, along with all previous procedural memoranda reported to you via (Al Makha,a) companies during the pervious two years, 1422H � 1423H in general and work out for their best practical application and in the way that guarantee good performance, and which particularly include:-

� Circular No. 370/1/1/A dated 19/01/1423H (explaining some procedural matters concerning contracts, visas, lagging, transited and transportation).
� Circular No. 1747/1/1/A dated 07/03/1423H (determining times for issuing visas).
� Circular No. 4401500 dated 11/05/1423H (explaining reception and leaving procedures, listing and referral procedures).
� Circular No. 4211/1/1/A dated 19/06/1423H (grouping and regimentation of Umrah conductors who depart by sea via sea pilgrims city against 10 riyals for every person.).



Second: Review of contracts and guarantees, their authentication and opening the automatic system

In a wish to start a new phase with all companies and establishments, authorized for providing Umrah services, with the beginning an Umrah season of 1424H, free from any disadvantages and faults, we would like to insure to all authorized establishments that the automatic system will not be opened, and no authentications or review for any contracts or any bank guarantees except after fulfillment of the following: -
1- Submit a final clearance of the year (1422-1423) concerning any fines, charges or financial dues for others still under the observation of ministry of pilgrimage, whether for hotels, accommodation units, transport companies, (Al Mokha,a) or others, according to the circulation No. 6802297 dated 24/10/1423, and circular No. 8159/1/1/A dated 2-3/12/1423H.
2- Submit detailed authenticated data signed and sealed by the company�s official including updating of all the corporate data (titles, addresses, telephone Numbers, fax numbers, names and cellular numbers of administration managers, branches in Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, telephone numbers of receptionists and representatives, provided that the ages of those staff shall not be less than (18) eighteen years, and shall be high school graduates at least.
3- In order to avoid what was proved for the ministry of pilgrimage, concerning large numbers of delayed or lagging Umrah conductors who came through external agents, or were reported by Umrah establishments and companies under proving documents that they did not fulfill their financial dues towards such companies and establishments, all Umrah companies and establishments shall contact the general directorate of Umrah affaires in the ministry before entering into any contracts with external agents so as to make sure that there are no requirements form the side of the ministry of pilgrimage that necessitate application of Article No. (22/3) of the executive regulation of organization upon such agents, like their obligation to submit final unconditioned bank guarantee from one of the official banks approved by the country where they work, and accepted by Saudi Arabian Monetary agency, on behalf of the Saudi Umrah establishment or company, whose entering into contracts with them. The bank guarantee shall not be less than (SR 100.000) one hundred thousand Saudi Riyals, and shall be valid during the whole contract period. The bank guarantee shall be kept with the duplicate of the ministry, so as to liquidate it on behalf of the authorized Saudi party.
4- Due to trespasses that have been observed from some external agents and their misuse of visa requests, new contracts organizing the relationships between Saudi Umrah establishments and their external agents abroad, shall stipulate that the upper limits of Umrah conductors for any external agent request of visas shall be maximum of (3000) three thousand person, as the automatic system will shut at this figure. It will not be opened for receiving any new requests during the period of one Umrah, except after proving the departure of all this number of Umrah conductors who came via such agent.


Third: Umrah visas

In order avoid work disadvantages that were observed in the previous mechanism of issuing visas, their durations, and ways of issuance during the previous two years and the consequential financial claims which were not paid by external agents to authorized Saudi companies; and according to coordination with the concerned authorities, issuance of visas will be restricted with the following:-
1- Authorized entities shall submit what proves their possession of transport media, and shall submit transport contracts of Umrah conductors, concluded between them and the other regulatory transport media approved by the ministry of pilgrimage, and specified in the program of the Umrah conductor, submitted by the authorized entities requesting visas.
2- In case visa arrived automatically to the commissariat of the Kingdom in any country, and the external agent did not contact the commissariat to finish procedures necessary for stamp such visa on the passports of Umrah conductors maximum within fifteen days of its arrival, such visa will be cancelled automatically, with the obligation of Umrah establishments and companies of paying the fees of (Al Mukha;a ) companies for such cancelled visa, which is cancelled due to non-contact and non-stamping.
3- Reduce the period of Umrah visa from three months to one month starting from the date of issuance to the date of entrance to the Kingdom so as to avoid accumulation of Umrah conductors.
4- Due to insistence of many Umrah conductors that their stay shall be for one month from the date of entrance , and the sufferings of Umrah companies and establishments during deportation of Umrah conductors to their home countries, it will be written there on the Umrah visa in the passport that the term of stay with this visa is the period of the Umrah conductor�s program, which will necessitate that the Umrah establishment or company shall handle the Umrah conductor a copy of his Umrah program, signed and sealed by the related Umrah establishment or company and to be attached to his passport so as to show it when requested by the concerned authorities.
5- Due to the sufferings of the Saudi commissariats abroad from accumulation of visa requests during specific times, in spite of the fact that the Umrah is open for about nine months per Hijri year, it was decided to specify the upper limit of visas issued every month from the Kingdom commissariats, so as to enable these commissariats to perform their duties, and enable the Umrah establishments and their agents in such countries to provide the necessary services, without incurring any financial damages due to delay of issuance of such visas. It is decided not to accept more that the upper limit of visas every month, and the related companies or establishments to postpone the rest till the next month. A copy of these upper limits (ceilings) could be obtained from the general directorate of Umrah affaires.


Fourth: Controls of Umrah visas

1- Automatic linkage between the approval of Umrah & Hajj information center over sending visas to ministry of foreign affairs and payment of Saudi Umrah establishments and companies dues by external agents, as the payments shall be in a special account of the company operating Umrah & hajj information center. These payments shall be shown in the electronic routing and the company will transfer these amounts to deserving Saudi Umrah establishments and companies or Al Makha�a companies.
2- No visa will be issued for any Umrah conductor, whomever he is and whatever his nationality was, unless the minimum time of his Umrah program according to the way or means through which he came to the kingdom is compatible with the following:

Means of arrival of the Umrah conductor Minimum period of his program
Umrah conductors arriving by air Their program shall not be less than 5 days.
Umrah conductors arriving by sea Their program shall not be less than 10 days.
Umrah conductors arriving by land Their program shall not be less than 10 days.

3- To get rid of the lagging phenomenon of large numbers and rates of some nationalities, which will be specified during Umrah season, Umrah conductors who wish to perform Umrah of these nationalities shall pay financial guarantee of (SR 3000) three thousand Riyals within the Umrah program, which will be entered via the automatic routing to the company operating the Umrah and Hajj information center so as to force them to go back to their home countries at the end of their Umrah program and get this amounts back. These amounts will be used in paying any fines that may result due to violation of those Umrah conductors of their obligation to go back to their countries in the specified dates of their programs.
4- According to the study performed by one of the specialist centers as per authorization of ministry of pilgrimage to get rid of selling false visas and programs, and to get rid of �spread out� phenomenon, the minimum for securing a five-days transport and accommodation program is not less than (SR 650) six hundred fifty Saudi Riyals , and any increase in such period shall be met by increase of at least (SR 80) eighty Saudi Riyals.


Fifth: Umrah conductors departing by sea

In the light of the decision of HRH the interior minister No. 1052/C dated 26/05/1423H concerning non-waiting of departing Umrah conductors in the courts of Jeddah Islamic port, and they shall not be directed to departure hall of the port except at the proper time to finish with their departure procedures; and due to instructions of HRH the prince of Mecca region, chief of Hajj central committee No. A.M/32081 dated 25/05/1423H concerning application of Umrah departure system from Mecca to the city of sea pilgrims in Jeddah as per Hajj system; and as a result of the mechanism of opening the city of sea pilgrims in Jeddah starting from 01/08/1423H in front of all Umrah conductors departing by sea, which is circulated with circular No. 4211/1/1/A dated 19/06/1423 against (SR 10) ten Riyals paid by Saudi Umrah establishments and companies to administration of Al Ain Al Azizia for accommodating any Umrah conductor whatever his stay will extend in the city and against his transportation with his belongings via Al Ain Al Azizia buses to departure halls of Jeddah Islamic Port. As no cases of �spread out� were registered around the Port, this organization will be applied effective of 01/02/1424H, where all Umrah conductors will be regrouped departing by sea to the city of sea pilgrims with the same mechanism and the same price of the last two months of last year. That is why all Saudi Umrah establishments and companies shall take into consideration adding a (SR 10) ten Riyal amount to their programs for Umrah conductors who will arrive and depart through Jeddah Islamic Port. They shall abide with this and pay the fees for Al Ain Al Azizia administration without any delay.


Sixth: other procedures

1- To achieve quick guidance for Umrah conductors sine their arrival to the Kingdom, Saudi Umrah establishments and companies shall comply with making wrist plastic bands to be tied in the wrists of Umrah conductors including (the name of the Umrah establishment or company, its telephone number and address in the Umrah cities). Patterns of such wristbands could be seen in the general directorate of Umrah affairs in Jeddah, Mecca or Medina.
2- All Umrah establishments and companies shall secure enough Saudi staff known with the good conduct and good dealing with others to receive and see off Umrah conductors in all air, sea and land outlets of the Kingdom, and insure their fixed availability in the arrival times of trips without delays, and their immediate reaction with the requirements of concerned authorities and the requirements of Umrah conductors so as to avoid referring Umrah conductors to other Umrah establishments and companies or to conclude a contract with one of authorized companies to carry out such services.
3- In case of (listing) or (referral) of any Umrah conductor to any Umrah company or establishment as per previous circulation No. 4401511 dated 11/05/1423H, whether in the entrance outlet or in Mecca or Medina, the Umrah establishments and companies, to whom the Umrah conductors are listed or referred, should attach the listing or referral to the passport, in order to facilitate the follow up the program of the Umrah conductor from the side of ministry officials.


Seventh: Training and Qualification

Due to what is noticed during the practical application of the organization of Umrah services during the last two years, i.e. less experiences of those dealing with Umrah conductors and especially those who are receiving the Umrah conductors and seeing them off in arrival and departure outlets, and de to the importance of training in refurbishing talents and capabilities to reach the distinctiveness in dealing with Umrah conductors, which necessitates that all Umrah establishments and companies shall register names of their general managers , branch managers and names of those who are performing the receiving and seeing off tasks before 01/02/1424H, so as to facilitate approval of necessary for them by the ministry of pilgrimage.

Due to the importance of the above mentioned, it is circulated to all Umrah establishments and companies, insuring their compliance and implementation, which will assist in the best application of organization and enable Umrah establishments and companies to perform the required role towards Umrah conductors, safe-keep authorized entities and the rights of Umrah conductors and enable them to perform their ceremonies easily and save Umrah establishments and companies from any formal or legal investigation.