Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9, the state news agency (SPA) said early Sunday.
It comes nearly a year-and-a-half after it had closed to overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a capacity that would rise to 2 million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining COVID-19 precautionary measures.
An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.
Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added.
Umrah, a pilgrimage to Islam's two holiest sites that is undertaken at any time of the year, was reopened in October for domestic worshippers.
Iran rejects Trump's talk of negotiation as Israel and Iran launch airstrikes
No injuries reported as drone attack hits fuel tank at Kuwait's airport
US expected to send thousands more soldiers to Middle East
Philippines works with Washington to obtain oil from US-sanctioned countries
US safety agency says tracking system failed at LaGuardia during jet collision
Russia fires record 948 drones against Ukraine over 24 hours, Kyiv says
Death toll rises to 69 in Colombian military plane crash
One killed, five injured in Bahrain from Iran strikes
