国际英语新闻:Saudi Arabia receives around 5.8 mln Umrah pilgrims

RIYADH, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has received around 5.8 million Umrah pilgrims since the start of the season early November, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Media Center of Hajj and Umrah Ministry confirmed the commitment of pilgrims of the Umrah program and expected the number of pilgrims to reach six million by the end of the season.

The ministry said granting permission and visas for Umrah pilgrims has taken into consideration the capacity of the holy mosque in Mecca with the ongoing expansion works.

Saudi Arabia has created an e-system for pilgrims to register, especially for those from other countries.

The new system enables foreign pilgrims to finalize their visas and other paperwork within hours, while they used to spend weeks to finish the required procedures. Enditem