The Ministry of Hajj has announced that since the beginning of this year's Umrah season as many as 953,000 Umrah performers arrived in the Kingdom to make the ritual, which is considered minor pilgrimage. In a statistical report issued here yesterday, the Ministry said "out of this number 516,000 went back to their homes after performing Umrah". The report said still many are expected as the Ministry has issued 1.7 million visas for Umrah applicants all over the Islamic world and communities. In comparison to previous years, the rate of overstayers dramatically went down due to strict application of the new electronic system to pursue Umrah performers whether they are still at home or moved or completed their rituals and headed home or overstayed, the report said, adding that as many as 48 domestic companies were licensed to run Umrah affairs in cooperation of about 2000 foreign agents.
