Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah signs partnership with Bookme to enable instant Umrah visas

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah formally recognized Bookme as a strategic partner after signing an agreement to enable end-to-end digital issuance of Umrah visas for Pakistani pilgrims, integrated with Saudi government systems.

Bookme was formally recognized as a strategic partner by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah after an agreement to enable instant Umrah visa issuance. The acknowledgment took place at the opening ceremony of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2026 in Madinah. The initiative is presented as part of the ministry's OTA Innovation Program, which seeks to expand access to Umrah services through digital platforms. The announcement states the solution was built in collaboration with Elm Company and directly connects to Saudi government visa systems. Key details: - The agreement is led under the direction of Minister Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah and Deputy Minister Eng. Abdulmohsen bin Abdulrahman Al-Salem. - Bookme enabled direct, end-to-end automated Umrah visa issuance for Pakistani pilgrims, with no manual processing or physical documents, and the service was launched during the final ten days of Ramadan 2026. - The system is described as integrated with Saudi government infrastructure and operates in real time to issue visas. - Access to the service is reported to be through Bookme's website, mobile applications, and integrated partner platforms including banking and fintech apps. - Faizan Aslam, Bookme's founder and CEO, received the recognition on stage during the forum, which was attended by Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and senior ministry officials. - The article notes Bookme operates across five markets and that its entry into Saudi Arabia was supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council. Summary: The announcement describes a step toward digitizing Umrah visa issuance that the article says is intended to increase transparency and reduce reliance on intermediaries for Pakistani pilgrims. Further collaboration and additional initiatives are mentioned as being in the pipeline as part of the broader program.