The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has postponed the implementation of its mandatory condition of biometric fingerprint verification for Umrah visa till further order. According to details, the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) in its letter informed that the Saudi government has postponed the implementation of its mandatory condition of biometric fingerprint verification for Umrah visa till further order.
The Saudi government on November 1, 2017 declared the condition of biometric fingerprint verification mandatory for all Pakistanis aspiring Umrah. Then, the circular was issued by the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Islamabad, announcing to postpone the implementation of biometric fingerprint verification for processing Umrah visa till December 1, 2017, following the difficulties faced by Umrah pilgrims. Later, the implementation of the said mandatory condition was again postponed till January.
And now, the Saudi government has again extended the postponement of condition of biometric fingerprint verification for Umrah visa till further order. Sources said the Saudi authorities would not implement the same till the extension of its fingerprint verification facility to all major cities of the country.
Meanwhile, Hanif Rinch General Secretary TAAP confirmed that no official letter from Saudi authorities was received in this regard but the TAAP on the basis of verbal communication issued a letter, informed that the postponement of condition of biometric fingerprint verification for Umrah visa till further order.