Key Takeaways
• Saudi Arabia suspended E-Visas for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from April 23 to June 9, 2025.
• Pilgrimage visas are affected due to crowd control during the busy Hajj season beginning June 6.
• Alternative visa options include embassy applications or visas on arrival for certain residents and visa holders.
Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 has put a pause on issuing electronic visas, known as E-Visas, for people from Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯. This suspension started on April 23, 2025, and will end on June 9, 2025. The change affects both tourists and those planning to travel for religious reasons, especially for the Umrah pilgrimage, who used to benefit from a quick online visa system. This decision came just before the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, which is a major time when many Muslims from around the world visit Saudi Arabia.
Why Did Saudi Arabia Suspend E-Visas?
The main reason for this temporary suspension is the yearly Hajj pilgrimage event. The Hajj in 2025 is set to begin on the evening of June 6 and finish on June 11. The Saudi Ministry of Tourism explained that this action aims to help them better manage the large number of visitors expected during this time. With so many people wanting to attend Hajj, Saudi Arabia needs strict controls to:
- Properly manage how many people enter the country
- Prevent people from misusing the system, especially regarding the organization and rules of Hajj
- Make sure each country brings only their allowed number of pilgrims
- Stop illegal or fake pilgrimage services
There have been problems in the past, such as in Uzbekistan 🇺🇿. For example, in April, police in Tashkent caught a man who collected $23,600 by promising to send four people to the Hajj in a way that broke the rules. There have also been a number of fake travel agencies operating in the city. These sorts of issues make it more important for Saudi Arabia to pay close attention to who is allowed in during busy times.
What Are the Other Visa Options During the Suspension?
Even while the E-Visas program is paused for Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯, people from these countries have other ways to get visas if they want to visit Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦. These options include:
- Applying for visas directly through Saudi embassies or authorized visa centers in Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. This is the more traditional, paper-based method.
- People who already have a valid visa from countries that belong to the Schengen Area (a group of European countries that share common visa rules), the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, or the United States 🇺🇸, or who live in the European Union 🇪🇺, United Kingdom, or United States, can still get a visa upon arrival at any Saudi entry point. This means, for some, there are still easier ways to enter.
This shift means the process might take more time or require a trip to a consulate or visa center, but it’s not a full ban on entering Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦.
How Did E-Visas Work Before the Suspension?
Before this policy change, getting an E-Visa was a straightforward, mostly online process. In August 2023, Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 citizens were added to the list of people who could apply for Saudi Arabia’s E-Visas. Tajikistan 🇹🇯 joined the program shortly after. These E-Visas were popular because they:
- Allowed travelers to fill out an application online
- Covered both tourism and the Umrah pilgrimage
- Cost about $146
- Were valid for up to 90 days in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
This online option made things much easier for travelers who wanted to visit for religious or tourism reasons. It cut down on paperwork and long waits at embassies and made it more simple for people to plan their trips.
Special Context: The 2025 Hajj and Pilgrim Quotas
Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able. Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 receives millions of pilgrims from around the world for this event each year. To keep everything safe and organized, Saudi Arabia gives each country a set number of spots, called “quotas,” for pilgrims.
For the 2025 Hajj, Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 could send up to 15,000 people. These quotas are important because they:
- Keep crowd sizes manageable
- Allow authorities to plan for things like accommodations, food, transport, and medical care
- Make sure no country sends too many people, which could make the pilgrimage less safe
This year, with worries about fake travel agencies and fraudulent operators, paying attention to these numbers is even more important.
Response by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan
Faced with this year’s challenges, the Uzbekistan government plans to improve how people sign up for religious travel. They will launch a “Single Portal for Hajj and Umrah” (and its matching mobile app) by September 1, 2025. This will help make the process faster, remove unnecessary steps, and give people a clearer and safer way to prepare for their journeys. The hope is that it will:
- Cut down on paperwork and confusing steps
- Make it less likely for people to fall victim to fraud
- Help people get accurate information quickly
Tajikistan 🇹🇯 is reviewing its procedures as well. Both countries want to protect their citizens who travel for religious purposes and maintain a good relationship with Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 for future pilgrimages.
Wider Impact: Restrictions on Other Countries
Saudi Arabia’s 🇸🇦 recent action is not just limited to Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯. For Hajj 2025, a total of 14 other countries are also facing similar temporary visa pauses or bans. These include countries such as Iran 🇮🇷, Nigeria 🇳🇬, Ethiopia 🇪🇹, Somalia 🇸🇴, Congo 🇨🇩, Libya 🇱🇾, and Sudan 🇸🇩. These bans and restrictions are because:
- Having too many people arrive at the same time can make it harder to keep everyone safe
- Some countries have seen more problems with fake pilgrimage offers or people trying to get around rules
- Security concerns are higher during the busy Hajj season
For these reasons, Saudi Arabia is using stricter entry controls during the most important days.
What Does This Suspension Mean for Travelers?
For many people hoping to visit Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 for tourism or religious reasons, this change means they have to plan farther in advance. Travelers from Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯 will now:
- Need to use a different, possibly slower, visa application process
- Have to work with official embassies or consulate offices
- Be aware of stricter security checks and document requirements
It’s also more important than ever to avoid fake travel agencies or online scams, which can take a person’s money and risk their safety. Governments are urging people to use official channels and only sign up for pilgrimages or travel offers with approved providers.
What Is at Stake for Saudi Arabia?
For Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, the Hajj pilgrimage is one of the most important times of the year. Not only is it a major religious event, but it also brings in millions of visitors and affects the country’s reputation around the world. If things run smoothly, it helps show that Saudi Arabia is able to handle big crowds safely and respectfully.
This year’s decision to suspend E-Visas for some countries is a signal that Saudi Arabia:
- Wants to strengthen controls to fight against abuse or illegal schemes
- Is ready to act quickly in response to fraud or corruption in the visa process
- Will continue to rely on digital tools, but only when they can guarantee safety and respect for religious rules
For anyone interested in more official information on Saudi visa rules during pilgrimage seasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 provides updated guidelines.
Immediate and Long-Term Effects for Stakeholders
For Pilgrims and Their Families
This temporary change brings both frustrations and challenges. Some may find new barriers to making their religious journey in 2025, especially since E-Visas made it so easy. There may be:
- Longer waiting times for approval
- More paperwork and forms to complete
- Higher risk if someone tries to use an unofficial agency
Still, as governments update their systems and share more information, these bumps may get easier to handle over time.
For Employers and Travel Agencies
Authorized travel agencies that work within the rules will likely see more business, as travelers must turn to official channels. However, fake agencies and illegal guides may try to find new tricks, so both Saudi and home country authorities will stay vigilant.
Employers with workers from these countries should expect delays in getting approvals for business and work travel.
For Educational Institutions
Many students in Saudi Arabia are from different parts of the Muslim world. While this suspension mainly affects tourist and pilgrimage visas, some confusion may affect students visiting relatives or taking part in religious activities. Institutions should stay aware of changing visa rules and help their students plan ahead.
For Government Agencies
Officials in Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯 must act fast to ensure their citizens’ safety and keep up with Saudi policies. By building better digital tools and fighting fraud, these countries could see fewer problems with future suspensions.
How Are People Trying to Prevent Future Problems?
A key part of avoiding these issues in the future is using more technology, like the planned “Single Portal for Hajj and Umrah” in Uzbekistan 🇺🇿. By making things more transparent and cutting down on paperwork, people can:
- Avoid middlemen and risky situations
- Check their registration or application status online
- Get updates quickly about changes
Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 is also expected to keep improving its digital visa systems but will do so with new checks and safeguards to stop fraud.
Controversies and Differing Viewpoints
Some critics argue these suspensions make it unfair for ordinary believers who are just trying to fulfill their religious duties. They say that stopping E-Visas does not fight fraud directly; it mostly affects honest people who want to follow the rules. Supporters of the ban, on the other hand, stress the importance of crowd control and the safety of all attendees, pointing out that even one major problem during Hajj could put thousands at risk.
Summary and Next Steps
The suspension of Saudi Arabia’s 🇸🇦 E-Visas for citizens of Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯 is temporary and aimed at answering very concrete challenges tied to the Hajj pilgrimage. By pausing the easy online application process, Saudi authorities are giving themselves time to review crowd control, improve security, and get ahead of fake agencies and scams.
Travelers affected by this change have other paths to visit Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, but only through official and sometimes slower processes. Both Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 and Tajikistan 🇹🇯 are working to make sure their citizens can still travel safely and without confusion using new online portals and better communication.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, these changes reflect a growing trend towards stricter controls and increased digital oversight in global pilgrimage and tourism travel. All travelers are encouraged to use government-run platforms and avoid any offers that seem too good to be true.
For the most up-to-date and official guidance, visit the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ e-visa page, which outlines current policies and requirements for those planning trips or pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦.
In the months ahead, both Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 and the affected countries will likely learn from this year’s experience, adapting their systems and working together to create safer and clearer paths for pilgrims in the years to come.
Learn Today
E-Visas → Electronically issued visas allowing applicants to complete travel authorization online, simplifying the entry process for tourism or religious purposes.
Hajj pilgrimage → Annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that is mandatory at least once for all Muslims physically and financially able to undertake it.
Umrah → A non-mandatory but spiritually significant Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, usually shorter and performed throughout the year.
Pilgrim quota → The specific number of individuals allowed from each country to perform Hajj, determined by Saudi authorities to control crowds.
Schengen Area → A group of European countries allowing free movement across their borders under a common visa policy.
This Article in a Nutshell
Saudi Arabia paused E-Visas for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from April 23 to June 9, 2025, targeting crowd control for the Hajj pilgrimage. The change addresses security concerns and fraudulent agencies. Alternatives include applying through embassies or entry visas for Schengen, UK, or US visa holders. Pilgrims must plan carefully.
— By VisaVerge.com
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