KUALA LUMPUR – Prospective haj pilgrims must download the Saudi Visa Bio mobile app for haj visa applications this year following its enforcement by Saudi Arabia.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) executive director Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman in a statement today said the app can be downloaded through the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
He said the app was a new innovation introduced by Saudi Arabia for this year’s haj season, aimed at facilitating visa applications and shortening the process for pilgrims entering the holy land via Jeddah and Medina.
Visa application through the app covers four simple processes, namely filling in the email address; uploading a scan of the Malaysian passport personal details page, a face scan, and a scan of all ten fingerprints.
“Prospective pilgrims will receive a registration confirmation email from Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry when their personal information has been successfully uploaded onto the app via the registered email.
“Prospective pilgrims are also reminded to hand over their passports to TH after receiving this confirmation for TH to process their visa,” he said.
Syed Saleh said Malaysia was among the first eight nations besides Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Tunisia, and Morocco to be selected for the pilot project, taking into account Malaysia’s reputation as one of the world’s best haj operators – having received various forms of international recognition and facilities from Riyadh.
For more information on the use of the Saudi Visa Bio app as well as other TH services, visit TH’s official website at www.tabunghaji.gov.my or its social media platforms, or contact the TH contact centre at 03-6207-1919. – Bernama, April 4, 2023
