By Ghazali Ibrahim 
The Saudi government has denied reports of imposing new visa restrictions or entry bans on Nigeria and 13 other countries, despite a viral memo claiming otherwise.
The memo, which surfaced recently, alleged that citizens of these countries would face restrictions on short-term visas, including business, tourism, and family visits, starting April 13.
However, the Saudi Tourism Center has clarified to TheCable that the only relevant circulars concern Hajj travel.
According to the center, only pilgrims with specific Hajj visas can enter Makkah and perform the Hajj.
Tourist visa holders are not permitted to enter Makkah or participate in the Hajj from April 29 to June 11, 2025. The Saudi government regulates Hajj attendance through a fixed quota per country to prevent overcrowding.
In February, Saudi Arabia did impose restrictions on these countries, limiting them to single-entry visas for 30 days to prevent misuse of multiple-entry visas.
The affected countries include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
