Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
According to an official statement issued by the consulate general in Jeddah, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that the last date for Umrah pilgrims to enter the country will be April 13, 2025 (15 Shawwal 1446H) and the mandatory date for their departure from the country will be April 29, 2025 (1 Dhul-Qi’dah 1446H). These deadlines were planned to assist with the management of the pilgrims providing safety and logistics ahead of the annual Hajj journey.
The Saudi government stated clearly that any pilgrim who did not depart from the country before the announced deadlines, will be in violation of immigration policy. Penalties for overstaying could reach as high as 100,000 Saudi Riyals or 16 million FCFA.
These new measures were put in place to avoid the disaster that occurred during the 2024 Hajj season when over 1,300 pilgrims died largely because of extreme heat and overcrowding. Temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celcius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) and 83% of those who died were unauthorized pilgrims who had entered the country without permits and lacked access to proper accommodation and support. A situation that made it difficult for authorities to identify and assist the individuals. In other for such disaster not to reoccur, the country introduced this measures.
Given the seriousness of the policy, the Consulate General has called on all Cameroonian pilgrims, travel agencies, and organizing bodies to strictly adhere to the timelines and avoid administrative complications.
