Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 25 Jul 2026, 6:53 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says 931,500 pilgrims arrived on Umrah visas at the start of the 1448 season, a 22.5 percent rise, with Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq leading source countries.
Saudi Arabia is enforcing stricter licensing rules for Umrah operators and suspending companies that breach service standards, part of a drive to protect pilgrims.
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.
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