Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 27 Jul 2026, 12:22 PM (Saudi time)
As the 1448 Umrah season opens, pilgrims are reminded that Saudi Arabia requires a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination certificate and may require polio or yellow fever proof, alongside practical health precautions for the crowded journey.
Saudi Arabia has reduced the Umrah visa entry window to 30 days from the date of issuance for the 1448 AH season, while keeping the 90-day stay limit unchanged. Pilgrims must hold confirmed Nusuk bookings before applying.
Wego and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah have launched a digital platform that combines visa requests, hotel booking and ground services, offering pilgrims three tiers of support for the 1448 AH season.
King Salman has approved hosting 1,000 Umrah pilgrims from around the world at his own expense for the 1448 season, beginning with 250 guests from 16 Asian countries.
For the 1448 AH season, every Umrah visa must be linked to a verified hotel booking and pre-arranged transport through the Nusuk platform, a measure aimed at curbing scams.
Saudi Arabia has reopened the Umrah season for 1448 AH, resuming visa issuance on May 31 and pilgrim entry to Makkah from June 1, 2026, under a fixed operational calendar.
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Saudi Arabia launches new multi-entry visa for Umrah pilgrims Daily Trust
Woman, 2 children killed in Saudi road crash while travelling for Umrah Jagonews24.com
Saudi app Hudhud guides Umrah pilgrims through Makkah’s sacred and historic landscape Arab News
Saudi Arabia launches one-year multiple-entry Umrah visa for pilgrims Travel Tomorrow
Now you can get multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for one year Time Out Riyadh