Saudi Arabia Cuts Umrah Entry Visa Validity to 30 Days
Saudi Arabia has shortened the Umrah entry visa validity from three months to one month from the date of issuance, requiring pilgrims to plan travel more carefully for the 1448 AH season.
thehajj.guide Analysis (Page 21 of 39)
Saudi Arabia Scraps Package D in 2027 Hajj Service Overhaul
Saudi Arabia has begun early preparations for the 2027 Hajj, unveiling integrated service packages, a three-tier package structure that ends Package D, and mandatory training for Hajj office staff.
Makkah Exhibition Displays Rare Grand Mosque Crowd Artifact
An exhibition in Makkah is displaying a rare wooden platform once used near the Black Stone to direct pilgrims during Tawaf, highlighting early crowd-management methods at the Grand Mosque.
Makkah Route Initiative Served 388,000 Pilgrims for Hajj 2026
Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route Initiative pre-cleared 388,694 pilgrims at 17 departure points in 10 countries during Hajj 2026, with Senegal and Brunei Darussalam joining the programme for the first time.
Saudi Arabia Expands Arafat Cooling Project Fivefold for Hajj 2026
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites completed the second phase of its Arafat shading and cooling project, expanding covered areas fivefold to more than 272,000 square metres ahead of Hajj 2026.
More Than 39,000 Volunteers Powered Hajj 2026 Operations
Saudi Arabia deployed more than 39,000 trained volunteers across the holy sites, border crossings and pilgrim cities during Hajj 2026, coordinated through a unified digital command centre linking 16 organisations.