Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) announced on Tuesday that it has begun receiving applications and issuing electronic permits to enter Makkah for expatriates who intend to work during the upcoming Hajj season. The permits are being issued via the Ministry of Interior's electronic platform Absher Individuals and the Muqeem portal.

Expatriates working for the Hajj need not make any personal visit to the Jawazat offices for getting issued the permit, thanks to the technical integration with the Tasreeh platform, the newly launched unified digital platform for issuing Hajj permits.

The Absher Individuals platform allows the issuance of permits for domestic workers, dependents, Premium Residency holders, investors, mothers of citizens, and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, after attaching the required documents.

Entry permits to Makkah will be issued to workers of the Makkah-based establishments through the Muqeem portal. Holders of seasonal work visas, as well as those who concluded employment contracts with the Makkah-based establishments for the Hajj season can also obtain the permit through this portal.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Interior announced on Monday launching of the Tasreeh unified digital platform for Hajj permits and that it is in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). The platform is designed to issue licenses and permits that authorize holders of these permits, both domestic and international pilgrims, to enter Makkah and the holy sites. The platform also authorizes workers and volunteers involved in all Hajj activities, as well as the vehicles transporting them, to enter Makkah and the holy sites, with the ability to view permits through the comprehensive national application Tawakkalna.