Visa Umrah

Warning to firms over Umrah visa ‘fee’ hike
Source ::: Gulf Times

The Saudi embassy has issued more than 37,000 visas for Umrah pilgrims so far this season, said Saudi Ambassador to Qatar, Ahmed al-Qahtani.
In an interview with Al-Arab newspaper, the ambassador said this was proof that there was no reason for Umrah tour operators to revise the visa fee up to QR800 as they have allegedly been doing this season.
Al-Qahtani clarified that the Saudi embassy issued Umrah visas for free. There are four bureaus accredited by the embassy operating in Doha, “who act as a link between the embassy and the applicants.”
The bureaus used to receive QR200 in return for their services. “We do not have any authority over them, but we can stop dealing with them if they continue raising their prices,” he said.
Al-Qahtani warned the bureaus against using the embassy as an excuse to raise their prices, adding the embassy did not charge them.
The 37,000 or so visas were issued only to expatriates, since Qataris, as citizens of a Gulf Co-operation Council country, do not require a visa to enter Saudi Arabia.
The ambassador also stated that while the embassy was watching for people who fit into the categories prohibited from performing the pilgrimage this year - as agreed upon by the Arab League health ministers- no figures on how many Qataris who have been rejected were available.

Envoy slams agents for Umrah fee hike
Web posted at: 8/11/2009 2:41:54
Source ::: The Peninsula

DOHA: The embassy of Saudi Arabia has issued more than 37,000 visas to Muslim expatriates here for Umrah during the current season, Saudi Ambassador to Qatar, Ahmed Ali Al Qahtani, has said.

Although the figure represents a five to 10 percent decrease over the average in the corresponding period last year, it is in no way a small number, he added.

So the excuse being used by Umrah operators that since the number of Umrah visitors had gone down they had raised their fee, is not genuine, the envoy told a local Arabic daily in an interview. The Saudi Arabian envoy said there are four centres in Doha which collect visa applications from operators and forward them to the Saudi Embassy and their processing fee is only QR200.

“We hear that these operators are charging people somewhere between QR600 and QRw800. This is unjustified,” said the ambassador.

He reiterated that Saudi Arabia issues Umrah and Haj visas gratis and what the four centres charge is only processing fee.

“So in any case this fee should not exceed QR200,” said Al Qahtani. According to him, the Saudi Embassy does not enjoy any control over these operators and can only notify them of the prescribed processing charges.

In reply to a question, the envoy clarified that it was not the decision of the Saudi government not to allow vulnerable categories of people to perform Haj this season due to the swine flu scare.

Recommendations to the effect have been basically made by public health authorities of Arab countries with a view of ensuring safety of their people, said Al Qahtani.

Assalaamualaikum w.r.t,

Ada tak sapa-sapa kat Doha yang pernah buat Umrah guna Transit Visa ? Harap-harap boleh share experience kat sini.

Thanks.

Wslm bro...nak pegi ke bulan posa ni?...

ada geng nak pegi kalau nak ikut sorang dua mungkin boleh lagi...tp kena tanya team leader tuan punya armada dulu....
kena cepat kalau nak cos take time nak apply saudi visa...call aku 6749445...

Bro,

So sorry coz dah banyak hari tak masuk forum ni. Anyway, alhamdulillah, kami sekeluarga dah apply visa transit and dah buat tempahan hotel yang sepatutnya. Cuma ralat sikit coz hotel terdekat yg jumpa ialah hotel yg jln kaki lbh krg 10 minit ke Masjidil Haram. So, masih lagi tercari-cari kalau ada yang lebih dekat coz booking to pun di buat melalui www.booking.com, boleh canx 1 hari before check-in date.

Mana-mana kwn yg boleh suggest psl accomodation, minta tolong tuan2 PM saya. . Timaseh.

Salam.

Salam Bro Chian,

Nak gi Umrah tuh berapa hari?

Perlu diingatkan, transit visa hanya valid utk 3 hari (3pergi - 3balik) berada di Saudi.

Memang ada yang pernah buat lajak lebih dari 3 hari, tapi consequencenya bergantung pada nasib. Kalau nasib baik lepas, kalu tak, nanti kena denda, kalu nasib lagi tak baik, nanti kena tahan pulak dgn Saudi authority.

Tentang hotel, kalau nak bole saya tolong. nanti PM saya untuk details, bila check in & out.

Selamat mengerjakan ibadah Umrah.

Maassalamah...

Wa'alaikumussalam Bro Eltax,

Nanti I PM you.

Anyway, untuk other friends, I intend to be in Mecca for 3 days only. Perform umrah + ziarah rasulullah s.a.w .

Salam,