Nigerian pilgrims to Mecca face visa challengeÂ

Several intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj, otherwise known as Umrah, are facing visa challenges.

A report attributed the issue to a new visa policy by Saudi Arabia. It also quoted the Saudi ministry of Hajj and Umrah as saying that congestion and overcrowding necessitated the change in visa issuance to pilgrims.

Haruna Ismail, the Kano Zonal Chairman, Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON), said Saudi Arabia is granting a three-month valid visa and two weeks stay to prilgrims, thereby slowing down their issuance.

According to a Daily Trust report, Ismail said that many pilgrims who got visa earlier but deferred their entry till  Ramadan are most affected by the policy.

Yahaya Nasidi, president of AHUON, said that the situation had forced many intending pilgrims to cancel their flights.