London, United Kingdom.

Ms. Yasmin Qureshi MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hajj and Umrah, along with Mr. Rashid Mogradia, CEO of CBHUK and Secretariat to the APPG, met with HRH Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud the Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom, to discuss current Hajj arrangements for British Pilgrims.

During the meeting, they reviewed the developments and services provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enrich the pilgrimage experience for Hajj & Umrah pilgrims.

Key topics included discussions on the current Nusuk Hajj portal and Hajj bookings, as well as challenges faced by pilgrims, notably in securing Hajj packages due to new uniform Hajj quotas applied globally. The Ambassador gave his assurance to address the raised matters and committed to regular meetings with the APPG who can use it to provide feedback and raise any issues affecting visitors to the two holy mosques.

The Ambassador reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to serving pilgrims and emphasized that the last day for Umrah pilgrims to exit the Kingdom ahead of Hajj is 9th May 2024.  He also highlighted that performing Hajj on a Tourist Visa, Visa on Arrival, EVA or Umrah Visa is illegal. Violators risk facing fines up to 50,000 Riyals, imprisonment, and subsequent deportation.

“As always, I am grateful to HRH Prince Khalid for this opportunity to meet and have a thoroughly insightful discussion. The dedication of his government and the Ministry of Hajj & Umrah in serving pilgrims is commendable. Our meeting addressed crucial issues, including the Hajj booking platform and the need to review the UK’s quota in response to growing demand.”

– Yasmin Qureshi MP

Ends.