Saudi Arabia has introduced mandatory Nusuk food vouchers worth around 20 Saudi riyals per day for Umrah pilgrims from four countries, including Bangladesh, with the amount to be directly incorporated into the overall Umrah visa fee.

The new policy will apply to Umrah pilgrims from Pakistan, India, Egypt and Bangladesh from Rabi-ul-Awwal 1. Under the new system, hotel bookings, transportation, meals and other facilities for Umrah pilgrims are being integrated through a single digital platform. Around 10,000 restaurants in Makkah and Madinah have been linked with the Nusuk app as part of the initiative. Each Umrah pilgrim will receive a unique code linked to their visa, which can be used to obtain meals from approved outlets.

According to reports, the initiative aims to provide Umrah pilgrims with standardised and organised food services, discourage unregistered service providers and further improve arrangements for pilgrims.

The new policy is expected to increase the overall cost of Umrah packages, prompting travel agents in Pakistan and other countries to review their packages and rates. Source: The News Pakistan