Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 13 Sep 2026, 11:08 AM (Saudi time)
From August 14, 2026, catering became a compulsory part of Umrah packages for pilgrims from Egypt, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, turning meals from an optional extra into a contracted, monitored service.
Saudi Arabia's Nusuk app has added six new features, including a Tawaf and Sa'ee round tracker, live crowd levels, interactive mosque maps, a Qibla finder, in-app travel booking and an AI assistant.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has released the official 1448 AH Umrah calendar, setting March 9, 2027 as the final visa issuance date and March 23, 2027 as the last day for pilgrims to enter the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's National Center for Meteorology forecasts a hotter-than-normal August with stronger winds and dust, prompting heat-safety guidance for Umrah pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia welcomed 931,500 Umrah-visa pilgrims at the start of the 1448 season, a 22.5 percent rise led by Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq.
Saudi Arabia's new multiple-entry Umrah visa is valid for 365 days with a 90-day total stay, but pilgrims must enter within 30 days and still book a Nusuk package and permit for each visit.
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