The Saudi Embassy in Cairo denied reports that its Consulate in Alexandria is refusing to receive passports of Umra performers from travel agencies.

In a statement, the embassy said such claims were "false".

Head of the religious tourism at the travel agencies' chamber's claims were false, the statement read.

The passports that are allowed into the consulate are provided through the representative of the tourism ministry, the statement said.

The embassy said the consulate receives daily an average of 5,000 passports and turns them back on the same day.

The embassy regretted media reports of delay in visa accreditation, calling on the media outlets to resort to official sources before they publish such false reports.