Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs, Sodikjon Toshboev, commented to Kun.uz on the new requirements for licensing companies that organize Umrah pilgrimages.

One of the key issues was the necessity of depositing a large amount of US$1 million (approximately 12.8 billion soums at the time of publication) to obtain a license.

Toshboev explained that this amount is calculated for one thousand people and is not excessive. He reminded that previously a deposit of US$100,000 was required, but this did not allow the government to quickly return pilgrims when around 15,000 citizens of Uzbekistan found themselves in difficult situations in Saudi Arabia.

The Chairman noted that after the deposit of US$1 million, licenses will be granted to all companies that meet the requirements, regardless of their number.

He also dismissed rumors that only one company would be granted a license, emphasizing that the goal of the reform is to improve service quality rather than create a monopoly.

When asked about the potential increase in service prices due to the new requirements, Toshboev acknowledged that this could be possible, but the priority remains ensuring a high level of service for pilgrims.

He also highlighted the importance of ideological training for accompanying personnel to minimize any negative influences on pilgrims.

Regarding the option of obtaining a visa independently for performing Umrah, Toshboev noted that there are no obstacles to this. Citizens can take advantage of the Nusuk program launched by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which allows for online tourist visa applications.

Additionally, there are no restrictions on flights through other countries, such as Dubai or Turkey, or direct flights to Saudi Arabia.