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DUBAI: Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, received Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of ����ֱ��, in Manama on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the close relations between their countries and discussed ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors to serve the aspirations of their leaderships and peoples. They also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.

Earlier, Prince Faisal arrived in Manama to chair the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council. He was received by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, and the Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain, Nayef bin Bandar Al-Sudairy.

The meeting was attended by senior Saudi officials, including Walid Al-Samaeel, Director General of the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Yahya, Advisor to the Minister, and Engineer Fahad Al-Harthi, Head of the Working Groups of the General Secretariat of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council.

RIYADH: All Muslims holding a valid visa for ����ֱ�� can now perform Umrah, according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

“Planning to visit ����ֱ�� and perform Umrah? You can perform Umrah rituals with any type of entry visa,” the ministry said on X.

“To facilitate the performance of Umrah for the guests of Allah, all visa holders are allowed to perform the rituals. This includes: personal and family visit visas, transit/stopover visa, work visa, tourist evisa, and other visa types,” it said.

“For a smooth Umrah journey, visit the Nusuk Umrah platform, choose the suitable package, and get your Umrah visa instantly,” it added.

The decision reinforces ����ֱ��’s efforts to make pilgrimage travel simpler and inclusive for all.

It also highlights a significant step in simplifying procedures for pilgrims and broadening access to Umrah services, fulfilling the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The ministry noted that this step reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to facilitating the arrival of Muslims from around the world to perform their rituals with ease and tranquility.

It recently launched the Nusuk Umrah platform for those wishing to perform Umrah directly, enabling users to select a suitable package and obtain Umrah permits electronically with ease.

The integrated digital platform also allows beneficiaries to book services and choose timings flexibly.

Praising the announcement Ahmed Peshkar, an Indian businessman in Riyadh, told Arab News: “It’s a welcome decision which reflect(s) the keenness of the Saudi government to enable Muslims holding all types of visa(s) to visit the Holy Mosque and perform their rituals in a safe and spiritual environment, while providing high-quality services that enrich the Umrah performers’ experience and ease their faith journey.

“It also underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to enabling Muslims from all over the world to perform their Umrah with ease. It is designed to make Umrah more accessible and to support the Kingdom’s long-term vision of positioning itself as a global destination for spiritual tourism.”