Hyderabad, April 7 -- Saudi Arabia has announced a temporary suspension of certain visas for nationals from 14 countries including India.

The restrictions apply to Umrah, business and family visit visas. They will remain in place until mid-June when current year's Haj pilgrimage concludes.

Why has Saudi Arabia suspended visas for India, 13 other countries?

The decision aims to prevent individuals from entering the country on Umrah or visit visas and then overstaying to participate in Haj without proper authorization.

Saudi authorities have observed that many foreign nationals misuse these visas to avoid the official Haj registration process. Such misuse results in overcrowding and safety risks.

Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has di...