Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 16 Sep 2026, 10:23 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced a one-year, multiple-entry Umrah visa allowing pilgrims to enter the Kingdom several times with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days, booked through the Nusuk platform.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has published the 1448 AH Umrah calendar: visa issuance ends 9 March 2027, final entry is 23 March 2027, and all Umrah-visa pilgrims must leave by 7 April 2027, with Nusuk permits required throughout.
A new Nusuk meal voucher of 20 Saudi riyals per day, embedded in the Umrah visa fee, will raise costs for pilgrims. It starts in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Egypt before a wider rollout.
Pakistan has sent the most Umrah pilgrims so far this season, ahead of Indonesia and Iraq, as Saudi Arabia records strong growth in arrivals for 1448 AH.
Saudi authorities have tightened the permit system for visiting the Rawdah inside the Prophet's Mosque, requiring every worshipper to book a free QR-code slot through the Nusuk app.
King Salman is hosting 1,000 Umrah pilgrims at his own expense this year through the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' Guests Program, with the first group of 250 from 16 countries completing their visit to Madinah and Makkah.
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