Saudi Arabia has announced the implementation of a new policy where the pilgrims of the Umrah in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt will have to pay a fixed amount for daily meals as a part of their Saudi Arabia visas.
The new Nusuk Meal Voucher programme will cost around 20 Saudi riyals a day for each pilgrim.
The catering fee will not be taken separately but will be automatically incorporated in the Umrah visa fees as is already the case with the mandatory transportation fee on the Nusuk platform.
The implementation of the policy is to begin from 1 Rabi’ al-Awwal.
Saudi authorities have already integrated over 10,000 restaurants into the Nusuk app to offer approved meal services to pilgrims while they are in the Kingdom, as part of the programme.
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In the new system, each Umrah traveller will be given a different BRN meal code prior to visa issuance.
The code would be attached to the pilgrim’s visa and can be used to redeem meals at the registered restaurants that are part of the Nusuk platform.
The overall cost of the meal voucher will depend on the number of days the pilgrim will stay at the site and will be determined and verified prior to the approval of his visa.
The programme will be initially applicable to Pakistani, Indian, Bangladesh and Egyptian pilgrims, then be extended to other countries in future stages, Saudi officials said.
With the new policy, there are new responsibilities for Umrah travel agencies, too.
They will have to make the mandatory catering fee part of their travel packages and register their catering providers on the Nusuk platform.
Authorities have urged that agencies that do not meet the new requirements may find it difficult to obtain visas for Umrah pilgrims.
