MAKKAH: The Saudi minister for Hajj and Umrah has begun his official visit to Indonesia to strengthen ties and partnership on pilgrimages.

Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah said that the Kingdom welcomed all Indonesian Umrah pilgrims, and that there were no health requirements or age restrictions. He noted that the Nusuk platform and its booking services had helped significantly more people to travel to Makkah and Madinah.

Al-Rabiah started his visit by meeting Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. They discussed partnership between the Kingdom and Indonesia and creating a better pilgrimage experience as part of the goals of Vision 2030.

They also discussed changes to visa rules including the extension from one month to three months, and the abolition of the requirement for a mahram, or male guardian, for women.

Al-Rabiah also met the general secretary of the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic association, Yahya Cholil Staquf, to discuss the objectives of the Islamic Shariah, as well as services the Kingdom offers to pilgrims.

They discussed the Kingdom’s experience in managing crowds to maintain safety under the support of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The meetings reviewed the efforts of more than 30 government agencies in the Kingdom within the Hajj and Umrah system to increase the quality of services provided to Indonesian pilgrims. Al-Rabiah also discussed increasing the efficiency of joint committees between the two countries.