Six Months Expat Fees, License Fees Exemption for Expats in Hajj & Umrah Sector

King Salman, the custodian of Two Holy Mosques in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has approved the exemption of the payment of a fee for expatriates working in the Hajj and Umrah sector for a period of six months.

This is among a number of incentives approved by King Salman during COVID times on individuals, private sector establishments, and investors in the Hajj and Umrah sector.

Six Months Expat Fees, License Fees Exemption for Expats in Hajj & Umrah Sector

The List of initiatives includes:

1. Exemption of the yearly fee for municipal commercial activity licenses for accommodation facilities for a period of 1 year in the cities of Makkah & Madina

2. Exemption of the fees for expats working in these firms for a period of 6 months.

3. Renewal of the Ministry of Tourism licenses for a period of 1 year for free, without any charge for accommodation facilities in Makkah & Madina, which can be extended.

4. Postponement of the fee collection for the renewal of iqama for these expatriates who are working in this sector for a period of 6 months, with a condition that the amounts are to be paid in installments within a year.

5. Extension of the validity of licenses (istimara) of buses operated by establishments to transport pilgrims without charge for a period of one year.

6. Postponement of the collection of customs duties for new buses for the Hajj season of 2021 for a period of three months and paying them in installments over a period of four months starting from the due date.

These initiatives come as an extension of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the financial and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sectors operating in the field of Hajj and Umrah and economic activities most affected by the repercussions of the pandemic.

It is noteworthy that the Saudi government launched more than 150 initiatives, with allocations exceeding SR180 billion, aimed to reduce the repercussions of the pandemic and mitigate its effects on individuals, the private sector, and investors.