No fines: Holders of expired Umrah visas have until April 18 to leave Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced on Friday, April 3, that those who hold expired Umrah visas now have until April 18, 2026 to leave the Kingdom without any fines or fees.

In a statement, the authority clarified that those whose Umrah visas expired on Ramadan 8, which corresponds to February 25 (Ramadan started on February 18 in Saudi Arabia), will be allowed to leave freely anytime before April 18 via international ports, and they do not even need to extend their visas.

The move comes amid widespread travel disruptions in the region due to closing the airspaces of many countries since the US-Israel-Iran war erupted on February 28.

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Since the beginning of the war, aviation across the Middle East has been severely disrupted by widespread airspace closures and restrictions, with airlines rerouting, diverting or cancelling services. Major hub airports, including those in the GCC, have experienced significant schedule disruption and congestion.

The Saudi Ministry on Interior has previously called on holders of expired visas of all types, visit visas, Umrah visas, transit visas, and final exit visas, as of February 25 to call the unified contact number for passports 992 for any inquiries related to departing the Kingdom amid the current circumstances the region is experiencing.

According to data shared by aviation analytics company Cirium, more than 40,000 flights were cancelled in the Middle East from February 28 to March 9.