Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have formalized an agreement to eliminate visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official, and special passports. This development was announced by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday.
The pact was signed during the sidelines of the 2026 United Nations General Assembly session, in the presence of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Dar highlighted the agreement as a significant move aimed at facilitating high-level interactions and institutional cooperation between the two nations.
He emphasized that this arrangement would further reinforce the longstanding and fraternal strategic partnership shared by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia across various sectors of mutual interest. The visa waiver specifically applies to diplomatic and official/special passport holders from both countries.
In a related development last week, Pakistan reiterated its commitment to the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, as well as the trilateral Makkah Defence Alliance. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan noted that operational details regarding the deployment of Pakistani forces would remain confidential for security reasons.
This announcement comes amid escalating tensions involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, including reports of attacks targeting the kingdom. Khan stated that Pakistan advocates for peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy rather than coercive actions.
Earlier in July, Saudi Arabia introduced a multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for one year from issuance, allowing pilgrims to enter the kingdom multiple times with a total stay of up to 90 days annually. Pilgrims must purchase an Umrah service package from an approved provider via the Nusuk digital platform for each visit and secure an Umrah permit through the same application before arrival.
The visa is deactivated after each departure but can be reactivated for subsequent visits once regulatory conditions are fulfilled. It is not available during the Haj season, spanning from the first of Ziqad to the 13th of Zilhaj. Saudi authorities indicated that this initiative aims to offer greater flexibility in planning Umrah trips while integrating digital and operational services.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics, nearly 43 million pilgrims performed Umrah in 2025, underscoring the significance of this religious journey.
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